If it had missed
by BlueBastard
Summary: Obi-wan had not struck Darth Maul down and they keep running into eachother. What does a perplexed Jedi Knight and a powerful Sith make? A great slash story. M/M. Obi-wan/Darth Maul. You were warned.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars TPM

-o-o-o-

PROLOGUE

He had missed. The damn light saber was in the perfect position, but he had missed! Instead of swiping a clean cut through the Dark Apprentice's body, it had merely cut through air, forcing Maul to fall backwards into the pit. One glare of piercing golden orbs and then the tattoed Sith was gone.

If it had not been for the groans of his barely conscious Master, Obiwan himself would've leapt right into that mechanized shaft, despite its obvious dangers. The next few days had been a blur, rushing Qui-Gon to the nearest Med bay had been no easy feat in itself. No sooner had he done that Obi-wan dazedly found himself newly Knighted.

Jedi Knight Obi-wan. So brave. So courageous. So... foolish.

It hadn't been enough. He had saved Qui-Gon only to have him slip into a deep coma, one nobody was sure he would ever come out of. Not only that, but Obi-wan had let his mentor's attacker slip away! Everyone had told him to forget about the Sith attacker. That all things would come with time and to let the force do its work. Through some deep meditations, Obi-wan could even have sworn to hear his former Master's voice. Ever the perfect Jedi role model, Qui-Gon Jinn, the victim, had told him the same things all the other Masters kept saying. Having known the man all his years, Obi-wan wasn't very surprised.

He was surprised, however, when a couple years later he stumbled across just the figure he had almost stopped looking for.

-o-o-o-

PRESENT

Obi-wan found himself in a remote village in a distant planet, doing a recon mission for the Order so they could better mediate the split kingdoms in the region.

"I don't believe it..." Obi-wan stood agape, unbelieving as he first felt and then saw the familiar cloaked figure.

It was... Maul.

And he was bleeding.

Something must've happened. Something HUGE. And the Jedi Knight had no doubts in his mind that it had something to do with the colossal wave in the force that had struck the day before. He had been at the spaceport making arrangements for a flight back to Coruscant due to the strange nature of the wave, but that trip was now delayed, indefinately.

It was laughingly easy how Obi-wan tracked the other to a hut that looked like any other around it. He had just stepped through the doorway when he detected movement in the force. Nimbly side-stepping to the right, Obi-wan felt the breeze of the table he had narrowly dodged.

"Jedi." The word was spat, like a foul taste in the speaker's mouth.

Obi-wan turned, glancing to his left. In an instant the air burned, the familiar humm of a lightsaber igniting caught up with the sensation. The Jedi Knight barely drew his saber in response, the red energy blade glancing off his own blue instead of embedding itself in his arm. With a practiced air, the Jedi whirled under the next blow, surging upwards on his last step and effectively knocking the red lightsaber out of the Sith's hands. In a moment he was face to face with the tattoed man, his blue blade humming threateningly at the other's throat.

This was the monster that had hurt his Master. Kenobi could end it here, now. He could slit the demon's throat and be done with it. Be done with the Sith. Obi-wan's breath came in hard gasps, though what had transpired seconds before could hardly be called a fight. Blue eyes steeled, he met the gaze of the tattoed menace before him.

At that moment, those golden orbs widened in surprise and recognition.

"You..." Darth Maul narrowed his eyes, a frown creasing his red and black brow.

He staggered forward and Obi-wan tensed, ready for an attack. But the last thing he had expected happened instead. The Sith Apprentice's eyes slowly closed as he dropped to the floor, apparently unconscious.

"Well... this is definately unexpected." Obi-wan muttered to himself, unsure whether or not he should retract his lightsaber.

-o-o-o-

The next day found the two on a prison transport, Obi-wan seated nervously before the force embedded bars that held the dark apprentice.

A growl from within the cell put the Jedi Knight on the edge, his blue eyes soon captured by the sole occupant who was now awake. Obi-wan was surprised. The man was like a beast, prowling back and forth in his prison, eyes searching for any flaw through which he could escape. Obi-wan stood, his outer Jedi robes cascading to pool at his feet with a silent grace. Nevertheless, the motion caught the attention of the cell's occupant.

Golden orbs flickered up to ensare Obi-wan's blue ones.

They both stood still, staring at eachother like that for the longest time, neither knowing what the other's thoughts were. Obi-wan frowned. He did not like the way the Sith was staring at him. Something about those feral eyes disturbed his tranquil thoughts. Despite the fact that this being was responsible for Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn's unconscious state, the Knight felt compelled to extend the Jedi's compassionate hand of peace, "I could get a healer for those wounds."

Darth Maul sneered, "I'll heal."

"All right then," Obi-wan conceded, feeling he had done what was expected of him. What was he to do if the Sith only wished to bite off a helping hand? "But I suggest you get comfortable. Coruscant will be your final stop before the Jedi Council sends you to wherever they see fit."

The Jedi Knight looked away as he said his last statement, his jaw tightening as he thought of a few dark pits he would like to send the Sith Apprentice. Why was the Sith allowed to live while his former Master was stuck in his dormant state?

Picking up on the Knight's negative energy, Darth Maul smirked, "Having dark thoughts, Jedi?"

Obi-wan exhaled slowly, drawing tranquility from a well reserved for moments just like these.

"Still a little sore about your Master?" The Dark Apprentice goaded, black clothed arms folding across his chest. When the Knight flicked a glance over to the tattoed warrior, he noted that the other had grown both in size as well as muscle mass, even if the difference was only slight. He refused to rise to the bait and looked away. But the Sith had not given up yet, "He's not dead, is he? Because that would be a shame."

"He might as well be." Obi-wan muttered under his breath.

"Because my lightsaber still remembers the feel of driving through his guts, scorching that Jedi's innards as he dropped to his knees with that priceless look on his face." Maul continued as if the Knight hadn't said anything, grinning wider as he felt the Jedi's anger rising, "I wouldn't mind meeting him again."

Obi-wan was at the bars in two shaking steps, every muscle vibrating in anger. Cold blue eyes drilled into the Sith's, the Knight's voice like hardened steel as he bit off, "You've done enough damage, Sith."

"What happened to the calm face of the Jedi?" Maul mocked.

Obi-wan clenched his fist before forcibly relaxing himself. Instead of rising in anger, he shot back in a more relaxed, though still slightly hostile tone, "Says the one trapped in a holding cell."

The sith Apprentice charged at the cell doors, stopping a fraction before the force-filled bars could scorch him. To Obi-wan's credit, he did not flinch. Maul's burning gaze drilled into Obi-wan's, his voice filled to the brim with hatred, "If I were at full strength, this brittle cage would not contain me."

"That's a lot of talk coming from a captured Sith Apprentice." The Jedi said with a cocked brow.

The Sith snarled, about to come back with a scathing comment before he suddenly just stopped. He frowned, tilting his head to observe the Jedi silently for a moment. When all he got was a confused glare in return, Maul started to smirk, his pointy teeth shining past tattoed lips, "You don't know... do you?"

Obi-wan's frown deepened, though curiousity led him to ask, "Know what, exactly?"

"Surely your wizened Jedi senses haven't failed you completely." The Sith raised a brow, an incredulous look in his eyes.

"I don't know what yo-"

Impatient as ever, Maul interrupted the Jedi midsentence, stating simply, "I killed him."

The Knight frowned. What could the Sith mean? He couldn't mean Qui-Gon. He was halfway across the galaxy, so the Jedi Master was out of the question. What did Maul mean about his Jedi senses? What-

Obi-wan's frown disappeared as he looked at the Sith before him with shock, blinking. Surely... he could not mean...

"...Your Master...?" The Jedi Knight said hesitantly, unsure what the consequences could mean.

Though the Sith remained silent and the Jedi still, Obi-wan's mind was racing at light speeds. That would explain why Darth Maul had been so easy to capture. Why their fight had been so brief. It was also the reason for that huge pulse wave in the force the other day. It was a shifting in the powers of light and dark in the Force. With the elimination of the Sith Master, then that would mean...

"So you finally understand." Darth Maul said smugly, enjoying the concerned look that graced the Knight's features, "I suggest you get a stronger holding cell for me, if you plan on extending my stay. My recovery, though well for me, cannot be said the same for you Jedi."

Maul was no longer an apprentice. He was a Sith Lord.

Obi-wan quickly overcame the shock, berating himself for letting such emotions through. Putting on the tranquil Jedi mask of serenity, the Knight folded his arms into his sleeves, settling a confident gaze on the prisoner, "You should not put much stake on your newly appointed rank, Maul. These force cells cancel out any affects a force-user could possibly apply on them. As I stated earlier, you should get comfortable. This is going to be a long ride."

The Sith Lord looked slightly put off by the Knight's statement. But that did not wipe of the smirk he gave in reply.

-o-o-o-

_Obi-wan was sweating, his heart beating rapidly. He knew this was a dream, but that didn't make it feel any less real. Those eyes... those golden eyes. They were searching for him, he could feel it._

_He couldn't get caught. He wasn't sure why. He just had a very bad feeling about all of this. The Sith Lord was still resentful. Resentful of the fact he had defeated him when the Sith had been so very close to his goal. Obi-wan had made him fail. Had ruined his perfect track record. He wanted revenge._

_The Jedi could feel the other closing in. Could feel him in the force. But the Jedi Knight was not afraid. He turned to face the other, for Maul was suddenly right there before him. He was standing, shoulders rigid, golden orbs raking over him._

_"You do not scare me." Obi-wan stated defiantly._

_The Sith looked slightly distracted. But at that statement, the tattoed man's focus was all on him. He smirked, his pointed teeth gleaming in the darkness. He wanted something. That much the Jedi Knight knew. But as to what, he was unsure. The most likely thing was to kill Obi-wan._

_"What are you waiting for?" Obi-wan spat, "Kill me already."_

_But the Sith slowly shook his head. The smirk still on his face, Lord Maul took a step forward, his eyes trained on Obi-wan's._

-o-o-o-

Obi-wan woke shivering. He mopped the sweat off his brow with his sleeve, practically jumping out of bed. What did that dream mean?

Shaking it off, the Jedi Knight headed down towards the prison sector of the space craft. He wanted to check on their guest.

Half-expecting to see the Sith outside of the cell, the Jedi was relieved to see the other sleeping peacefully within it. Nothing seemed out of place. Nothing broken. Nothing to worry about. As he turned to leave, the rough voice of Maul stopped him in his tracks.

"Rough night?"

"Just making sure your pillows were fluffed." Obi-wan shot over his shoulder, continuing his trek out of the prison block.

"How considerate." Lord Maul said dryly.

Yet as the Jedi Knight left, the Sith Lord lay back on his cell, his brow furrowed as he stared at the ceiling in consternation. Obi-wan wasn't the only one who had a strange dream that night. But neither one of them understood its meaning.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own star wars

-o-o-o-

Obi-wan took a deep meditative breath, his form as still as possible in his temporary quarters. He had just begun relaxing tensed muscles when a voice buzzed over the ship's intercom.

--Knight Kenobi, we require your assistance in the prison bay--

His concentration broken, the Jedi exhaled in exasperation. Ever since he had captured Maul, the Sith had managed to dispel whatever calm Obi-wan had gathered over the past years. Somehow, the new Sith Lord had gotten under the Knight's skin, and it was not a sensation that was well liked.

--Be right there-- Kenobi replied in the comm a moment later.

Gathering his robes around him, the Jedi moved quickly through the prison transport craft.

-o-o-o-

Darth Maul was sweating.

His robes were thoroughly soaked through, making the dark fabric cling to his tattooed skin. The fight with Darth Sidious had taken a large toll, but Maul didn't realize it would affect him this much. That's when a wave of pain hit him, clawing at every fiber of his being. He tensed up, his jaw clenching as he gripped the metal bed frame, refusing to release the anguished howl that tried to tear itself through his lips.

Through the haze of pain he saw the familiar brown shaded robes of the Jedi, though he had some difficulty grasping what the other was saying.

"Tell me what is happening." Obi-wan Kenobi repeated, his brow creased in worry.

He had arrived a moment before to find the Sith twisting in agony within his cell. Despite any hostile feelings he had against Maul, he still couldn't bear to see a living being in such obvious distress. But none of his words seemed to be really getting through to the Sith Lord. Darth Maul's body jerked again before he fell with a hard 'thud' on the steel floor. The Jedi Knight's frown deepened as he realized he might just have to go inside the cell to help. However, common sense was practically shouting at him that doing so was not a good idea at all. He considered simply leaving the Sith Lord to writhe around until whatever it was passed, but that was before Maul started slamming his head against the floor, possibly in an attempt to deter his physical torment. Whatever the reason, it was starting to create a rather big bloody splatter.

--That is not advisable, Jedi Knight-- The voice over the comm whizzed uncertainly as Obi-wan began entering the deactivation code for the cell door.

"I know it's not bloody advisable," Obi-wan muttered under his breath, his finger hovering over the last digit in the sequence. His resolution wavered before he finally pushed it, stating as much to convince the ship's captain as to convince himself, "But what choice do I have?"

With a sense of dread, Obi-wan entered the cell, closing the door behind him. "Activate the field again, and don't open it until I give the word."

--Understood, Knight Kenobi--

Obi-wan stood for a moment, looking down at the red and black-skinned Sith twisting agonizingly at his feet. Crouching, the Knight hesitated a moment before leaning over and asking Maul, "Can you hear me?"

The moment those golden orbs shot open to glare at him, Obi-wan realized just how bad of an idea this was. Who was he, to get into the cell of a newly appointed Sith Lord? He wasn't even a Master himself but a Knight.

He needed distance. And he needed it now.

Just as Obi-wan was stumbling backwards, the Sith lunged forward. The Jedi had almost dodged before tattooed fingers gripped one pale wrist. The result was instantaneous. A jolt of pain transferred from the red and ebony Sith to the Jedi Knight and Obi-wan couldn't help but give a short cry at the unexpected rush. He felt something flooding into his veins, shooting through from fingertips to toes. But just as quickly as the pain had come, it receded, and Obi-wan was left to stare at confused golden eyes.

For some reason, Darth Maul's agony had simply vanished. A moment before he had felt something else entirely…. foreign, washing over him. Almost much like the way water would douse a fire, this sensation took away the pain.

And Maul was left holding the arm of a despised Jedi, who looked just as confused as he. A wave of dizziness slammed into Obi-wan and he jerked his arm out of Maul's hold, taking a few unstable steps backwards. Something was wrong.

Something was very very wrong.

"What did you do to me?" Obi-wan demanded of the Sith, hand clutching the side of his head.

But Darth Maul didn't look too well, himself. He shot the Jedi a dirty look, "I didn't think Jedi would stoop to poisoning prisoners."

"If only that were the case." Obi-wan shot back dryly.

He tried to reach out to the Force, to find some sense of peace that could help him withstand whatever physical onslaught was determined to wreak havoc over his body. But there was a barrier. That's when Obi-wan remembered that he was in a force-cancelled cell. As the Knight took a step towards the door, Darth Maul doubled over in pain once more, actually crying out this time, even if it was merely a sharp growl. Obi-wan glanced at the Sith and his Jedi compassion once again made him halt in his retreat. Something very strange was happening here. Something to do with the Force. And Obi-wan wasn't exactly sure if getting outside of the cell would have a better effect. The Jedi Knight shifted his heel in indecision.

This slight sound caught Maul's attention, and his head shot up, that deeply feral look in his eyes once more. Too close to hope for any chance at dodging, Obi-wan braced himself. Just as he had thought, the other launched himself through the short distance, tackling the Jedi with enough force to knock both of them over. It was like a repeat of what happened before. An immense shock of Maul's pain forced itself into the Jedi's system, a strange sensation of something else invading with it. Along with this came the invasion of something into Maul's system, quenching his pain like a drink in a drought.

Darth Maul was very torn. On one hand was the pain that tore through his body like starved scavengers of the worst kind, on the other was what seemed strangely like salvation in contact with this Jedi Knight.

"Get off me." Obi-wan demanded, his upper body propped up by his elbows with a very heavy Sith Lord tangled on top of him.

"You're not going anywhere." Darth Maul growled, face inches from the Jedi's.

This was very unnerving, to say the least. What happened to now be the single most powerful being on the dark side was staring, unblinking, into Obi-wan's eyes.

"You are very mistaken if you think you can order me around like some kind of-"

"Padawan?" Darth Maul interrupted the Jedi, a smirk showing a flash of pointy teeth.

Obi-wan felt a burst of anger roll through him as he proceeded to shove the Sith off of him. Succeeding, the Knight shot to his feet, taking about two steps before he was tackled into the wall. His back pressed against the flat surface, Obi-wan directed a glare at the red and black being before him, demanding hotly, "If you do not stop whatever foolish game you are playing, I will be forced to hurt you."

"Jedi fool." Darth Maul spat, making the other glare in return, "This is no game. Whatever is doing this is _killing_ me. I need the Force to survive. I need-"

"You need to get out of this cell." Obi-wan interrupted, finishing Maul's sentence for him. Contact with a force user was the alternative, apparently. However, this wasn't something Obi-wan was really willing to broadcast. "You think I'm dumb-witted enough to let you out?"

"Listen." Darth Maul growled, bringing his face closer, a threat poised in his eyes, "Either you let me out, or you will be solely responsible for my death."

"How tragic." Obi-wan said through gritted teeth, matching the Sith stare for stare.

"Let me put it another way, then, _Jedi."_ Darth Maul spat, one hand beginning to crush Obi-wan's windpipe, "I. Will. Kill. You."

Obi-wan held still, feeling his oxygen slowly being deprived as he stared into maniacal golden-red eyes, but he didn't allow himself to panic. Forming his fist into a flat palm, the Jedi gathered what energy he could find in himself and drove that palm into Maul's abdomen. The force of it sent to dark force user to his knees, skidding backwards in the cell before abrupt contact with the cell wall slammed him to the ground.

"Now, Captain." Obi-wan said, voice directed through the comm system.

With one glance backwards to ensure the prisoner wouldn't escape, Obi-wan walked out of the cell and once again felt the force flow into him. The door activated behind him and the energy field sizzled the air. Turning, Obi-wan saw those golden eyes trained on him, with an emotion he was unsure of. Was it hate? Or something else?

Before leaving to his quarters, Obi-wan muttered under his breath while under that gaze, "I could kill you too, Sith."

To the comm, Obi-wan simply said, "I'll have to meditate on this matter."

As the Jedi walked away, Darth Maul brought himself slowly to his feet, body still wracked with pain. But he couldn't help but find himself grinning, "What an interesting Jedi."


	3. forbidden fruit

Disclaimer: I not own Star Wars

-o-o-o-o-

Obi-wan paced in his quarters, arms folded behind him. He barely noticed the visual projection of stars and space to left, the holo image perfectly simulating a thin glass window. He had just gotten off communications with the Council. They had made it perfectly clear that no further contact with the Sith Lord was to be made. Darth Maul was in an unstable state and the only explanation was his recent transcendence into lordship and the force-cancelled cell.

It was possible that the cell was messing whatever force-link Maul needed to reach his higher state. They didn't need the Jedi Knight complicating things by throwing himself into the equation. Who knows what else may become of it.

Obi-wan closed his eyes in an attempt to calm down, taking deep meditative breaths. But then golden orbs flashed in his mind and he saw the Sith Lord doubled over in agony. Eyes springing open, the Jedi Knight shook his head and let out an exasperrated sigh.

"Why is this happening?" He demanded out loud to no one in particular, wishing he didn't care quite as much as he did. Darth Maul was solely responsible for the state his own Master was in right now. No matter what the Jedi's code and ethics taught, Obi-wan had never been able to forgive and forget so readily. And yet, the mere fact that the other could be in extreme agony bothered him.

Not to mention the weird dreams Obi-wan had been receiving. As if he didn't see enough of the Sith in this cramped prison transport.

He couldn't wait to have this Sith off his hands and dealt with by the Council.

-o-o-o-

It had been hours. Days. Maul wasn't quite sure which. The pain clawing at him made it hard to discern time. He needed something, anything, to take his mind off it. But when he slept the only thing he dreamed of was...

"...that damned Jedi." The Sith Lord hunched over on his stiff metal bed as another wave racked through him. The pain hadn't lessened any. Mercy and compassion weren't things he was familiar with, and the Jedi reeked of it. There was also something... something strange about the dreams. Not only did it confuse and irritate Maul to his very core, but it also enraged him. The Jedi were not an entity worthy of his focus. They were mere bugs to be squashed and swept aside.

Yet he couldn't deny what had happened earlier. Something had happened when the Jedi had entered the cell. Something unexplainable. And as much as the Sith dearly wished it wasn't true, he actually itched to see the Jedi Knight again. Scowling at the mere thought, Darth Maul growled throatily and slammed a fist into the wall. The echo of its resounding impact reverbrated into his bones. But he didn't feel it. He couldn't. The pain was everything. It was all around him. Pain had been a necessary part of his training. Of his life. But this... this was terrifying in its magnitude. He needed to get out of this cell. He needed something. Anything.

Golden orbs flashed. He slowly looked up.

Darth Maul had just thought of the second best thing.

-o-o-o-

"What do you mean?" Obi-wan asked, disbelief filling his tone.

-The Sith requested an audience with you, Jedi Knight.-

"Well, this is a first." Obi-wan replied, eyebrows raised, "I can't believe he would want to see me, much less relay that thought outloud."

-He seems to be in a great deal of pain.- The Captain stated dryly, -Perhaps it has muddled his senses.-

"Perhaps..." Obi-wan said, standing up to leave, "Let us see what he wants."

In mere moments, the Jedi Knight was gliding into the cell containment area. His face was calm yet his eyes betrayed the curiousity bubbling beneath. He paused a moment when he caught sight of the Sith Lord. Darth Maul was worse off than the day before. His ebony robed body was unnaturally tense, every so often breaking the stillness with a spasm or two. As Obi-wan drew closer, he could see those yellow eyes were bloodshot. Had he not been sleeping? Or was it the pain?

"You wished to see me?" Obi-wan said after clearing his throat.

"Unfortunately," Darth Maul growled in response.

Obi-wan raised a brow at the expected rudeness, but said nothing further. It had been the Sith who had wanted this meeting, and it was he who would have to speak and allow his intentions to become clear.

Darth Maul hardly blinked as he slightly lifted his gaze to burn into Obi-wan's. The Jedi Knight clenched his jaw as he decidedly matched stare for stare. Golden orbs flashed against steel blue. For a few moments, nothing further was spoken. But the longer Obi-wan stared into the Sith's golden eyes, the more uncomfortable he became. There was a certain feral quality to them. Something... something was being said to the Jedi Knight but the message was unclear. And he wasn't sure he quite wanted to take the time to read into whatever it meant.

Darth Maul couldn't help smirking as the Jedi Knight was the first to look away.

"I was ordered to have no further contact with you, so either you make it quick or the next time I come down here will be when I am escorting you out of that cell. And believe me, the Jedi Council will be less tolerant and leniant as I have been." Obi-wan warned, steel grafted into his tone.

The Sith Lord watched the Jedi Knight through the energy filled bars, enjoying the sight of an angry Obi-wan. After this new bit of information he couldn't speak of what he wanted, or the Jedi would get wise to it later. He couldn't have him ruin it, after all. However, a part of him called out as he watched the Jedi turn to leave. To leave the Sith to wallow in his pain-raking solitude.

"I have these dreams..." Darth Maul interjected into the huge gap of silence that had fallen between them. As he had expected, the Jedi halted in his steps, though his back still faced the cell. Maul, curious, continued, "In these dreams I am all alone. All except for one other bieng..."

Panic arose in the Jedi, though he struggled to keep it down. Could it be possible that their dreams were the same? He pivoted to face the cell, quickly stating, "I refuse to believe you brought me down here to discuss dreams."

Darth Maul quirked an eyebrow at the hasty response. He noted the tense shoulders even as he spotted the fake irritated front the Jedi put up. What could be bothering Obi-wan so?

"I dream-" The Sith Lord started to say.

But Obi-wan interrupted him, turning around to leave again as he said, "This is a waste of time."

"-of you." Darth Maul finished, unfazed.

Obi-wan froze midturn. His disbelief and shock was evident in his features, though he struggled to maintain his composure. It wasn't possible. It just couldn't be. How could they both be having dreams about eachother? It was the same dream. Maul hadn't said any of the details, but his gut was telling him that mere fact was true.

Apparently, Maul had came to the same conclusion as he said, "And you do too."

Obi-wan turned back to the cell, slowly raising his gaze until they locked with Darth Maul's. The bastard was smirking, transforming his menacing tattoed face into a somewhat happier expression. Heat was evident in Maul's stare, and the Jedi was getting the feeling it wasn't quite as hostile as he would've liked.

"That..." Obi-wan said slowly, not sure whether he was trying to convince Maul or himself, "doesn't mean anything." Then the Jedi Knight left, his echoing footsteps the only sign that he had ever been there.

Darth Maul continued to grin, laying down in his uncomfortable bed, the pain still numbing his senses. Maybe he would sleep tonight after all.

-o-o-o-

In his quarters, Obi-wan lay on his bed, his thoughts once again returning to his prisoner. As of late, it certainly seemed as though their positions were reversed. Obi-wan felt shackled to Maul, with an ominous feeling he wouldn't be rid of the demon even after the transport had reached the Jedi Council.

The Knight shook his head at the thought as he closed his eyes. He was probably overreacting. How he hated how that Sith could get under his skin.

He soon drifted off to sleep, sure he wouldn't have the same dream as before.

_Heat scorched his skin, and Obi-wan shifted at the strange sensation. He tried to open his eyes, but it was as though there was a cloth placed over his eyes. Then there it was again. A warm breath traveling across his neck._

_Then suddenly Obi-wan's world exploded before his eyes as a wave of immense pleasure rolled over him._

_The Jedi was left, confused and bewildered in its wake, and he tried to get up. But something was stopping him. Or, rather, someone. Obi-wan struggled to get up, but someone pushed him back down._

_"Hey-" Obi-wan started to protest as the other tugged at his clothes._

_But the other did not respond. At least, not verbally. Warm hands ran over the Jedi's robes, slipping underneath to make contact with the bareskin covered up by the layers. Obi-wan shivered at the unfamiliar touch. Though, strangely, he found that it wasn't necessarily unwanted. It had been a while since he had known this kind of touch. Though taboo in the Jedi culture, sex was definately something that still occurred within their ranks. However, it was like an unspoken sin, known by all but spoken by none. Every once in a while there would be a Jedi slinking off to an overcrowded club or even to a few of the private ones where things were set up ahead of time._

_Obi-wan sucked air sharply between clenched teeth as the heated carresses continued, alternating between snaking around his chest and stroking his cock. A pent up moan released itself as the other grinded between his legs and the Jedi Knight could not help but reach out. His blind fingers found an arm and he clung to it, unsure whether it was to push the other away or pull the person closer. He was, however, amazed to find firm sculpted muscle under his fingers. This was no weakling he was contending with._

_The other had paused as soon as Obi-wan had grabbed the other's arm. But when it was clear the Jedi Knight was unsure of what he wanted to do, the person started up their previous minstrations with a flare of energy. Obi-wan couldn't help but cry out in surprise and pleasure as the other reached into his pants and grabbed a hold of his shaft._

_"Fuck..." Obi-wan breathed out as the other got a firm grasp before pumping the Jedi's dick ruthlessly. The calloused hand lit on fire every inch of the Knight's shaft in the most pleasurable way._

_Never one to be simply recieving and never dishing out as good as he got, Obi-wan reaching out and jerked the other's hips towards him. Surprised, the other lost their balance and toppled over, just as the Jedi Knight had predicted. Rolling over to pin the other to the ground, Obi-wan quickly reached down between the other's legs. There was a bulge underneath loose fitting cloth. A pretty sizeable one, at that._

_"Just as I thought..." The Jedi said with a smirk._

_His partner was male. As Obi-wan felt around some more, he realized the guy had a great body to go along with those talented hands. The other had tensed up when he had been pinned, but started to relax after Obi-wan started up with some skilled ministrations of his own. He had the other groaning just as much as he had been. But before he could get very far the other reached up and dragged him down by the front of his robes, making Obi-wan lean forward unexpectedly, almost losing his balance. The Jedi Knight felt warm lips envelope his own, moving with such fiercness that it almost seemed to want to devour him. Not to be outdone, Obi-wan kissed back just as fierce, his tongue battling with the newcomer that parted his lips. Their tongues danced before Obi-wan was able to get past the other and slip his own tongue in the other's mouth. Smiling at his victory, Obi-wan deepened the kiss, much to the pleasure of the other, and explored the new cavern with his tongue._

_At about the same time, his tongue felt the pointed teeth, the Jedi Knight's hands had finally carressed the top of the other's head. Like he had been hit by lightning, Obi-wan jerked back, literally flinging himself off the other faster than he realized was possible. Obi-wan was breathing hard, his chest heaving. He could hear the other breathing the same, and heard the other getting up._

_Horns._

_Obi-wan had felt horns._

_For the first time, Obi-wan's eyes actually opened when he had wanted them to, and he blinked to get used to sight once more. But he dreaded what he would see._

_Golden orbs matched his stare, and the Jedi couldn't help the brief horror and panic that shuttled straight through him. He realized what he had almost done. And who he had almost done it with. Black robes cascaded silently around the other as he stood up in a smooth motion. This had to be one of the worst acts he had ever almost done. Dream or no dream. He felt like he had almost betrayed the Council. Not only that, but he had enjoyed himself and had even participated._

_"Maul..." Obi-wan forced his voice to work, though his throat had gone suddenly dry, "How long did you..."_

_Darth Maul's mouth twisted into a grin, crossing his arms boldly over his chest as he replied, "I knew, Jedi. I knew the whole time it was you."_

_Obi-wan swallowed, a shiver traveling through him as those instense eyes stared into his own. When he couldn't take it any longer, he squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to wake up. But in an instant, the Sith was there, grabbing a hold of his shoulder even was he whispered into the Jedi's ear, "At the end of the day, after you have struggled with your morals, what is it that you really want Jedi?"_

_Then Obi-wan was spiraling upwards out of the dream._

The Jedi Knight jolted upright on his bed, heart thumping rapidly as his chest heaved. He was sweating, his muscles trembling as though he had just run a thousand mile marathon. Before he knew it, he had kicked the covers off his bed and was making his way down to the containment cell, forgetting to even grab his outer robes or the top half of his inner ones.

He had to know. He just had to know for sure.

The moment he was about to step into the containment cell area, the Jedi slowed down, stepping silently into the room. But the moment his foot was over the threshold, the tattoed head in the cell jerked up and golden eyes snapped open. Those feral eyes looked up and down Obi-wan's physique before a red tongue snaked out to lick his lips. That small gesture made the Jedi Knight pause halfway, almost forgetting that Darth Maul couldn't get out the cell. It also made him regret getting out of bed with only his pants on.

"I came down here to make it perfectly clear that you are to stay out of my dreams." Obi-wan said heatedly, crossing his arms.

"Doesn't look like that's what you came down here for..." The Sith Lord growled throatily.

"I am not playing games with you, Sith." Obi-wan growled back.

"Who says we were playing a game?" Darth Maul inquired.

Frustrated, Obi-wan directed his glare to the side, "This is the last time I am coming down here. The rest of your complaints will have to be placed with the transport's Captain."

"You may be able to avoid me down here, but how will you avoid me in your dreams?" Darth Maul purred.

"I won't sleep." Obi-won replied instantly.

Amused, Darth Maul asked, "How long will you keep that up?"

"Until the Jedi I requested to replace me arrives." Obi-wan stated.

That put a halt to the Sith's smug attitude. His eyes darkened. He had gotten a taste of forbidden fruit, and he was not about to let go. Strangely, ever since the dream they shared, his pain had decreased dramatically. It was a mere buzz now. But who knows how long that will last, "You are making a mistake."

"It is no longer advisable for me to stay here. The Jedi Council will agree with me, I am sure. I had the request placed earlier, but this will only convince them to send a replacement faster."

Darth Maul stood, stalking silently towards the cell bars, "Sooner or later, I will get out of here. Sooner or later, anyone and everyone who attempts to hold me captive will die."

"All the more reason for me to switch off with another Jedi." Obi-wan, feeling good about his decision, joked dryly.

"_They_ will die, but _you_... I will come after you personally." The Sith Lord growled.

Obi-wan's gaze hardened, and he stepped right up to the cell, demanding hotly, "Was that a threat? Am I supposed to be frightened at the thought of fighting you? I have faced you twice and have come out the victor both times. So think again before attempting to scare me."

Darth Maul brought his face closer to the bar, their proximity making Obi-wan realize the Sith had also gotten taller since their last battle years ago. Obi-wan matched the Sith stare for stare before Maul whispered, "I will come after you... and I will make you mine."

The statement sent a shock through the Jedi Knight's system, making his heart skip a beat and his throat run dry. The thought of doing what they did in the dream sent shivers up and down Obi-wan's spine. But that wasn't something Obi-wan wanted. It would go against everything he held close about his faith and the Jedi Council. This was their enemy, for Force's sake. The new Sith Lord who was actually captured before he could wreak havoc on the systems. With extreme control, the Jedi was able to keep his reaction in check, consoling himself with the thought that tomorrow he would be as far away from this demon as possible.

Refusing to rise to the bait, Obi-wan said calmly with a hint of anger, "Don't count on it."

As Obi-wan walked away, he heard the Sith growl, "Don't be so sure."


	4. Too real

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. I do not own any of the Star Wars franchise. I am not trying to sell anything of theirs. The whole Star Wars concept is theirs. The only thing belonging to me is the plot line to this story.

-o-o-o-

Obi-wan walked into the mess hall, eyes stained red with the skin below them a darker shade than the rest. His replacement was late. More than two days now Obi-wan found himself walking the small transport's halls, with nothing to do but wait. He headed straight to the coffee dispenser, eager for the jolt of caffeine that would help him stay just barely out of reach of sleep's grasp. One of the crew, a technician maybe, commented, "Are you all right, Jedi Knight? You don't look so good."

"I'm-" The Jedi paused, clearing his throat of the obstruction that had made it gravelly before starting over, "I'm fine. Thank you for your concern."

The man nodded and just watched as the Jedi Knight glided out of the room. It was almost as if the Jedi were drowning and the coffee he clutched in his hand was his only salvation. The technician snorted at the very thought, deciding he himself needed to rest before plunging into psychological metaphors.

-o-o-o-o-

Obi-wan gulped a bit of the invigorating liquid, its heat burning through his dry throat on its way down. Sighing in relief, he walked over to the window of his quarters, pressing his forehead against the cool glass. He watched the stars drifting slowly by, wondering how much longer the replacement would take to get there. His eyelids drooped, finally closing after a moment or two. He was simply resting his eyes. That was all. Really.

Just resting...

Obi-wan opened them to the darkness of his dreams. He whipped around as he heard footsteps pacing somewhere further into the shadows. The Jedi's heartbeat rose steadily in his ears. Maybe, maybe if he was silent, then the other would not know he was there. But even as this thought crossed his mind, Obi-wan knew it to be false. Or at the very least, unlikely.

As if confirming his thoughts, a voice growled from the darkness, "I was wondering how long you could stay away."

Darth Maul crept along the edges of the shadows, shivering with anticipation as he looked over his prey. It had been a difficult wait. A long wait. The pain had almost been too much to bear as the Sith Lord had lain trapped and confined in his cell. He had visited his dreams often, curious to see when the Jedi Knight would succumb to slumber. It seemed now was the time, and Maul couldn't have picked a better moment. The Jedi, clothed in his ever-present and concealing brown robes, looked tired. Maybe not as tired as the Sith Lord would have preferred, but his mind was honed to focus on any advantage he could get in battle. And what an interesting battle this would turn out to be.

"The coffee wasn't as strong as the Captain had boasted." Obi-wan muttered in reply, masking his fear with indifference.

He peered into the shadows, trying to get a glimpse of the demon so he could better defend himself. But there was nothing to be seen. Not a trace of red and black Zabrak tattoos at all.

"Jedi..." The voice purred, sounding amused as Obi-wan pivoted swiftly around, trying to pinpoint his position, "you look... tired. Come to me, I will help you rest."

"Don't sound so pleased," Obi-wan stated determinedly, "this is going to be a short visit."

"So much can be accomplished in so little time." Maul said in reply, and Obi-wan could just hear the bastard smirking.

The Jedi Knight frowned, "You try anything and I swear, dream or no dream, I will kill you."

"Such hate coming from one so pure..." Darth Maul paused to sniff the air, "and such fear..."

"I don't fear you!" Obi-wan declared, "Why don't you come out and fight!"

"Perhaps it is not I you fear, but yourself, Jedi. You fear what you..." The next instant Obi-wan felt as though someone was behind him, whispering into his ear. A breath licked hot against the side of his neck, "...want."

A shiver ran through the Jedi before the threat of Darth Maul so close registered, and he spun around to fight. Half-expecting the other to be gone, once again, Obi-wan blinked when Maul stood before him. There was so little room between them, the Jedi Knight felt his breath rebounding against the black and red wall of Maul's face. He had enough time to take in the predatory gaze in Maul's eyes, and the grin flashing his pointy teeth, before the other grabbed the back of Obi-wan's head. Taking in a sharp breath, Obi-wan tried to pull back even as he saw the Sith lunge forward. In an instant he felt hot lips cover his own. Obi-wan's arms stiffened at either side of him, as did the rest of his body. What was the Sith Lord thinking?!

In a moment, Darth Maul knew the other would begin struggling. He could feel the Jedi go rigid at his touch, and grinned into the kiss as he thought of a solution to both problems.

Obi-wan's protests were stifled into the kiss as he felt the Zabrak's free arm wrap around his lower back. His own arms coming back to life, Obi-wan had just grabbed a hold of Darth Maul's shoulders to shove him off when the Sith's intentions became clear.

Pulling the Jedi's warm body to him, molding the two together, Darth Maul felt the beginnings of Obi-wan's struggle. The Sith looked straight into the blue pools of the Jedi's eyes just centimeters from his own. He wanted to watch the other's reaction. As Maul began to grind his thigh between the other's legs, he saw the jolt of pleasure run through the other with the widening of Obi-wan's eyes and the slackening of his grip on Maul's shoulder. A muffled groan arose from the Jedi's sweetly stolen lips. Pleased with the reaction, Darth Maul growled into the kiss, his muscled arms wrapping more possessively around the Jedi. A thing of light, a thing of beauty. And it would belong to him, the darkness.

An alarm rang through Obi-wan's head as he was enveloped even further into the Sith's loose ebony robes, his body wedged into Maul's. The growl made the hairs on the back of his neck rise, even as the Sith's touch made his body burn. But this was wrong. He was a Jedi, Maul was a Sith. They could not be... doing THIS together. It was unheard of. Unlikely. So... wrong. He felt Darth Maul grinding once more against his dick, and Obi-wan threw his head back to gasp and groan in one huge exhale.

"Getting a little into it, are we?" Darth Maul growled, smirking as he felt the Jedi grip his biceps with uncontrolled force. He had not realized just how much he would enjoy making the Jedi writhe before him. He could feel his own manhood demanding attention. But he wanted to watch, if only just a little longer.

Fighting pleasure-filled senses, Obi-wan hastely thought what could get the Sith off of him. Expect the unexpected. Hopefully, it was a term the Sith Lord wouldn't quite be thinking about just then. Before he could fully lose control, Obi-wan attacked Darth Maul's lips with a vengeance. The Jedi Knight poured his fear, his retaliation, his indecision and his desire into it. The raw emotion simply blew the Sith Lord away, making him gape comically as he stood, shocked, at the receiving end of this unbelievable kiss. For a moment, even Obi-wan lost himself in it. He realized he had achieved his goal of Maul's slackened hold only once a few stretched moments of him forcing his lips onto the other's had gone on. Snapping himself out of whatever fire that had coursed through his veins, Obi-wan managed to tear his mouth away long enough to shove the Sith away.

A shocked Darth Maul was too confused to stop Kenobi's escape, stumbling back a few steps before dropping on his ass, arms catching him from behind and legs bent before him. His lips felt as if they were pulsing with heat.

Obi-wan stood where he was, blue eyes gaping with disbelief at what had just happened. Yeah, he had wanted a distraction, but the kiss he had just given was a little too... real. He brushed the fingertips of one hand across his lips, swearing he had just seared them on hot iron. His heart beat hard in his chest, and he barely gathered the courage to bring his eyes to lock on Maul's reptilian golden orbs. When their gazes did meet, Obi-wan swore his heart had simply stopped. The Sith's eyes... there was something in them... something hard to read. But it was less harsh than usual and more...

"I can't..." Obi-wan said suddenly, breaking the tense moment.

Darth Maul was disappointed when in the next moment, the Jedi was simply gone. He had awoken, and Maul was alone once more. The Sith growled at his sudden vulnerability. What was he, some pathetic weakling who couldn't survive on his own? What had the grueling decades of training under his former Master been? A cakewalk? If his old Master could see him now...

Snorting, Maul picked himself up, shrugging off the pinprick wounds to his pride. It mattered not that the Jedi had slipped through this time. Next time he wouldn't be so lucky.

Obi-wan lay on his side, eyes adamantly closed as if in denial of whatever feelings had coursed through him moments ago. The Sith Lord was toying with him, for whatever reason, Kenobi was unsure. But he wouldn't stand for it. And he wouldn't risk his allegiance to the Light side and to the Jedi by letting any such atrocities to occur. He should feel tainted by what had happened between him and Maul. And yet...

The Jedi Knight shook his head before pushing himself up off the... floor?

Looking around, Obi-wan remembered that he hadn't exactly been planning to go to bed when the sudden urge to sleep had overtaken him. Over by the end of the bed, lay the empty cup of coffee, its innards spilled out for all the world to see. It was as Obi-wan felt, except the only one to see what he had inside him was Darth Maul. Did the Sith Lord truly know what Obi-wan desired more than Kenobi himself? Or was it simply mind games the Sith were taught to wield as deadly as a hidden blade?

Angrily, Obi-wan wiped his lips across the sleeve of his robe, erasing whatever trace the Sith had left behind. The comm beeped on, and the Jedi had been so startled he had one hand on his lightsaber before he realized what the sound meant.

--Jedi Knight Kenobi?-- Came the scratchy voice of the Captain.

Forcing himself to relax, Obi-wan cleared his throat and replied, "Yes, Captain?"

--The Jedi replacement you requested has arrived.--

"Thank you, Captain. Send him down to the cell area, I wish him to get acquainted with our guest as soon as possible." The Jedi Knight stated.

When the comm had bleeped off and Obi-wan had started walking towards the hall, he muttered under his breath, "It's about bloody time."

-o-o-o-

Obi-wan had to admit, his first impression wasn't too well when he had caught sight of his replacement. Tall and stocky, the humanoid had taken to the piercing fashion of some planets, his face covered in glinting metals. It reminded Kenobi somewhat of the spiked inhabitants of a desolate desert region. His grayish pallor also made the other look sickly. Nonetheless, Kenobi's Master had always informed him never to judge simply for appearance's sake.

"Jedi Knight Kenobi, Jedi Raas at your service." The humanoid greeted.

Obi-wan nodded in reply, glancing over at the cell. Darth Maul was sitting glumly at the edge of his steel bed, a hostile look directed towards the newcomer. However, when the Sith's gaze flickered over to Obi-wan, the Jedi could feel his eyes take on a different light. Meeting the Sith's gaze, Obi-wan felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. For a fleeting moment, the dream sequence from earlier flashed through his mind. The heat. The possessiveness. The pleasure-filled touches.

Clearing his throat, Obi-wan tore his eyes away from the prisoner, fighting the heat that threatened to color his cheeks. He had no time for that sort of thinking. Not now. Not ever. He had to focus on the matter at hand, and that was making sure the replacement knew what he was dealing with before Kenobi could book it as far away from the Sith Lord as possible.

"You have been briefed of the Sith's abilities?" The Jedi Knight questioned, noticing Raas's nonchalant demeanor.

"Of course." Raas replied, his tone terse and clipped.

Nodding, Kenobi went over a couple more details as he walked the other Jedi into the halls and out of earshot. "Are you sure you are up to this task?" Obi-wan asked, looking at Raas square in the eyes, studying him.

"There is no other task I would want more." Jedi Raas said eagerly.

"Good." Obi-wan nodded in approval, shutting his eyes momentarily as he rubbed the tired ache between his brows, "...good."

He could feel Maul's presence resonating on the other side of the wall. Rolling off in waves were pain and frustration. Anger. Typical. Maybe the Sith Lord would think twice before trying to toy with this Jedi Knight again.

-o-o-o-

Darth Maul felt when the Jedi Knight's presence had left the transport's interior and entered whatever smaller space craft he would use to leave.

A rush of anger and frustration flooded the Sith, momentarily blinding him to the physical clawing torment eating away at his body. What was wrong with him? Darth Maul's breath hitched. Why should a single Jedi matter at all? A low growl reverberated from deep in his throat. He would've killed him the moment he had escaped anyway, so what was the problem? Maul glared down at a closed fist, the pain and his anger making it tremble and shake uncontrollably. However, the confusion that lapped at his heels was the most infuriating thing of all. Something inside of the Sith snapped.

Lurching forward to his feet, Darth Maul turned and grabbed the edge of his bed. Shouting in rage, he strained back and tore the metal slab from the wall in an incredible feat of strength. In blind fury he twisted and lifted the torn slab over his head.

"Raaahhh!!" He shouted in exertion, flinging what remained of his bed against the opposite wall.

Even without the use of the Force, this Sith Lord was not one to be trifled with. He stood, chest heaving for breath, as he stared at the immense gash he had created. Wires and broken hardware were laid bare before him; the edges of the metallic alloy were peeled back like shredded fruit skin.

In an instant, Maul's bloodshot eyes flickered from the broken bed to the force bars. His lip twitched into a snarl and he lifted the bent metal slab over his head, muscles jerking shakily from the exertion. As he slowly turned to face the wall composed of force-canceling bars, he paused.

"Hold it." Raas stood in the doorway of the cell, gun aimed at Maul's unprotected chest.

The Sith Lord sneered, unshaken by his vulnerable position, "You may have fooled those Jedi fools, so why don't you just tell me what you're really here for?"

A look of irritation swept through the Jedi's face, but it soon passed as Raas realized he had what he sought after anyway. Jedi Raas looked smug, "Obviously. I came to kill you."


	5. Stronger than me?

Disclaimer: Star Wars is not mine. I do not try to make a profit from it. The only thing even close to payment is in reviews.

-o-o-o-

Obi-wan frowned when he realized his hand hovering over the craft's console was trembling. He had barely pulled out of the prison transport's docking bay before he felt a strange shift in the force.

Something was wrong.

The Jedi Knight whipped his head around towards the direction of the larger ship, the engulfing darkness of space providing an ominous backdrop.

Something was wrong with Maul.

Conflict surged upwards within the Knight. However, the thought of abandoning Maul to his fate was quickly overridden by his sense of honor and his strong belief in the Light. Whatever ended the life of that Sith filth would have to be determined in a fair and just manner.

Unfortunately.

Obi-wan opened comm. links with the prison transport, -- Captain, I request permission to re-enter your spacecraft. –

But static was the only response. Setting his jaw, knowing all too well that further attempts at communication would be futile, Kenobi gunned the engines as he launched full-speed back to the transport vessel. Docking and racing through the ship's corridors was a blur. It wasn't until he had neared the prison sector of the ship that he even attempted to slow down. Then when he heard the voices, he immediately cloaked his presence and crept stealthily closer.

"- kill me that easily?" A menacing growl followed the low, confident statement.

"Sith Lord or not… I stand here with the weapon while you…" The second voice chuckled.

Obi-wan frowned. What was going on here?

Concentrating easily, the Jedi Knight lightly sent out a force scan of the next room. Jedi Raas was standing solidly, blaster at ready and aimed in the cell. He could sense dark and angry vibes through the air, but not only radiating from just outside the cell. It came from the supposed Jedi as well. Something was clearly out of order.

In the meantime, Maul was having a few problems of his own. Among them was the sudden inability to breath. The constant background pain of the Force separation surged to the forefront as its intensity grew at an alarming rate. His skin was on fire and his skull pounded as if a gigantic creature had decided to stomp on it for fun. Holding the remains of the metallic bed slab was no longer as easy as it had been moments ago as his muscles involuntarily flexed to the point of the tendons nearly ripping away from each other. Grunting, the Sith Lord dropped with a thud down on one knee, the slab above his head digging into his shoulders.

Tossing the slab away, he cried out as he dropped to his other knee, squeezing his head between his fists as if it would make the pain go away. Through eyes narrowed in torment, he glimpsed movement from the far doorway.

Stepping into the cell block, Obi-wan took a split second to take in the whole scene before him in a glance. It had been Maul's outcry that had made him spring into action, foregoing any attempts at formulating a plan. From earlier conversations with the Jedi Council, as well as his own personal experiences, Kenobi knew that the most obvious cause behind the Sith's physical distress was the force-cancellation cell. Even with the armed Jedi traitor in the room, the Knight knew he had mere seconds to release Maul from his prison. If he didn't, Obi-wan knew for certain that the Sith Lord would die.

Not allowing himself further thinking on the matter, Obi-wan whipped out his light saber and lunged forward. The other Jedi turned, preparing to defend himself. However, Raas was surprised to find the light saber and its master had a different target. Instead of his flesh, the light saber plunged into the control panel next to the cell. With realization at the act, anger took over Raas's features, his pierced metals glinting as the alarm went off.

In a daze, Maul found himself on the cold floor. Something was different. Something… the pain! The pain was gone! Confused, he turned his gaze upwards to see two battling figures. The alarm was blaring. Bright flashes of red were intermediated with brief instances of pitch black, but it hardly hindered the Sith's vision. Someone had tried to kill him. His teeth glinted in the dark as he felt the Force flow steadily through his veins. At least one person was going to die tonight.

Obi-wan's relief at freeing the Sith was short lived. Before he could pull out his saber twin beams of energy shot at him. In order to save his own life, he abandoned the weapon. Twisting as he dodged out of the way, Kenobi saw Raas trying to aim again with his blaster. Doing the only thing he could think of, the Knight threw himself at the traitor, wrestling him for the weapon.

Raas's finger was firmly on the trigger, building and building the charge of the blaster until the weapon shook and glowed brightly. Despite Obi-wan's rank and experience, a misstep placed him at a great disadvantage. Raas's leverage and reach was slightly better after the Knight stumbled, but in the game they were playing, slightly went a long way. The Jedi Knight gritted his teeth as he saw the point of the blaster turning inch by inch to aim at his own heart.

"Just, tell me something." Obi-wan grunted, knowing he was staring death straight in the face at the end of that barrel, "Why? Who wins by killing that Sith?"

Raas grinned, sensing victory as he leaned in to reply, "I do what the Council prefers the public does not see. The Sith Lord vanquished, the universe saved. So what if a nosy Jedi Knight dies in the process? So you tell me, who wins now?"

Obi-wan glared, disbelief in his features. He saw the trigger being squeezed. Then-

A shout. A burst of light. Explosion rocking the very floor beneath him.

Confused, Obi-wan looked up from across the room, the blast of the gun having thrown him onto his ass against the wall. He could feel warm liquid running down the back of his head. His blood. But he should not be alive to even feel this. That shot should have killed him.

What he saw next lurched his heart into his throat. Golden orbs met his blue gaze as he saw the Sith Lord behind Raas's standing form. But no… Raas wasn't standing. His body was limp as it dangled from the light saber piercing it from behind. At least, it dangled until with a twist of his wrist, Darth Maul tossed the skewered body from the stolen light saber. Obi-wan's light saber.

Looking as fresh and as strong as if he had just waltzed on board a moment ago, the Sith Lord took a step forward and growled, "I win."

The full effect of the person he had just let free and live hit Obi-wan like a blow to his gut.

'What have I done?' The Jedi Knight's thoughts echoed silently in his numb mind, his senses reeling from the raw power of the Force as it flowed around this single, deadly being.

Obi-wan struggled to stand, to defend himself from his sworn enemy, when his legs failed to comply. Some of the discharged energy from the blaster must have temporarily stunned his nerves. He saw the Sith's face smirk at his own discovery of the fact. As Darth Maul stalked towards him, the Jedi felt the hairs at the back of his neck raise. Obi-wan had no weapon. He was unable to stand at the moment to attack. But he was no coward.

"Since we're even now, I guess you will simply kill me." Jedi Knight Kenobi stated as if he had been talking about the weather.

Darth Maul paused, amusement coloring his tone, "You never cease to surprise me, Jedi."

"And you just cannot seem to die." Obi-wan replied bitterly.

"Yes…" The Sith Lord's smirk grew even wider as his golden orbs appraised the young Jedi, "This time we have you to thank for that, don't we?"

Obi-wan's jaw locked in regret and anger. He watched Maul stalk towards him like a hunter to its prey, matching golden narrowed eyes with a blue glare of his own. The Jedi Knight felt the edges of the tremendous amount of Force lapping at his feet. His own oncoming fate seemed inevitable. With no expectations at all, Obi-wan stated, "If you have any honor within you at all, you will at least end this quickly."

"Quickly?" Darth Maul inquired with a tilt of his head. He had come to a stop directly in front of the Jedi, the light saber fizzling out as it retracted back into the hilt. The bottom of Maul's black robe pooled around both as the black and red figure crouched over the brown robed one before him.

Instantly, Obi-wan disliked the way the conversation was headed. His eyes narrowed in suspicion as to the Sith's meaning. As the Sith Lord planted one hand on the wall beside Obi-wan's head, the Jedi instinctively leaned away, only to be stopped by the other hand trapping him in.

"What is it, exactly, that you want?" Obi-wan's breathe hitched as he found Darth Maul closer than he would like, blue eyes studying the Sith as the intense golden orbs raked over his own form.

The Jedi read a brief moment of confusion as it flickered through the Sith's eyes, but then it was gone. The predator was back. Simultaneously, all thinking on Obi-wan's part abruptly ended as a searing hot mouth devoured his own. Unthinking, the Jedi lifted a hand to expel a burst of the Force at the Sith Lord, but Maul quickly grabbed Obi-wan's wrist and pinned it to the wall above his head.

Through the Force, Obi-wan felt the Sith's rage as he glimpsed at a flashback. Through Maul's eyes, he saw himself and Raas struggling with the blaster. Through the Sith's eyes, he saw himself losing, the blaster about to discharge into his heart. And through the force, he felt the Sith's rage as Maul tore the light saber out of the control panel. Maul had channeled all the Force he could muster to launch himself at the traitor, jerking Raas's arm to divert the blast even as Darth Maul ripped the light saber through the traitor's innards.

Obi-wan jerked his head back as he jerked back to the present, eyes widened and filled with turmoil as he looked at the Sith before him. The kiss was broken and Maul slowly opened his eyes. Golden orbs locked onto blue and somehow the Sith Lord knew what the Jedi Knight had seen. Had felt.

But no matter what it meant, Obi-wan's morals wouldn't allow him to allow this sort of thing between them to happen. Maul was a Sith Lord. Obi-wan was a Jedi Knight. Dark and Light. It just couldn't work.

Obi-wan's thoughts must have been easily read from his own face. Darth Maul's look only hardened. The Jedi Knight started to say, "We can't-"

Darth Maul interrupted the Jedi, free hand grabbing the Obi-wan's collar and pulling him closer. He growled three little words, "You. Are. MINE."

Obi-wan blinked. Then he frowned, "Like hell I a-"

But his argument was refuted as Maul's hungry lips once again devoured his own. All at once, the force swept through the two. Obi-wan felt a dozen caresses stroking his skin, feeling underneath the robes. Force touches teased all along his limbs, making the Jedi's hairs stand at end. He whimpered as he arched into the touches, his exposed neck falling easy prey to Maul's insatiable hunger.

Darth Maul purred as he wrapped a thick forearm behind the Jedi's waist, pulling the other towards him even as he shifted forward to grind both of them together. Obi-wan moaned at the electric responses that jolted through his veins, his blood tempo pounding fast enough to match that of Darth Maul's. The Sith Lord savored the feelings and caresses from the Force touches he sent out, exploring the Jedi's body as if he planned on pinning every detail on a map. He felt Obi-wan's body tremble beneath him, wanting. Needing. Yet… denying.

"We… cannot…" Obi-wan barely breathed out, drowning in all the wonderful sensations.

Maul growled, pausing his ministrations and waiting for those blue eyes to lock onto his churning gold ones, "We will."

As if awakening from a dream, Obi-wan felt his resolve strengthen and he shoved the Sith off him, following forward to pin Maul to the ground, "Not if I have anything to say about it."

Darth Maul, flat on his ass propped up by an elbow, cocked a brow as he smirked up at the Jedi. Befuddled by the Sith's reaction, it only took Obi-wan a moment later to catch on to their suggestive posturing. Knees on either side of Maul's hips, Obi-wan's rear was positioned perfectly on top of a rather sizeable bulge. A bulge which only managed to get bigger as the seconds ticked by.

"Your actions contradict your words, Jedi." Darth Maul commented dryly, pleased at the red coloring that burned the Jedi Knight's cheeks.

"I will not be mocked." Obi-wan seethed through clenched teeth, preparing to strike with a fist.

"I agree." Maul replied, catching the strike and bringing his face close enough to make the Jedi flinch, "Let's fuck instead."

Blinking in horror at the Sith's vulgarity, Obi-wan was taken completely off guard as Darth Maul proceeded to flip both of them so that the Knight was beneath him.

"Why do you fight me?" Darth Maul questioned with a low chuckle, sending forth bindings through the force to pin Obi-wan down.

The Jedi gasped as the force touches continued, stroking him in places that made him sweat. But what really made his heart race was when the Sith Lord's hands would trace after the invisible imitations. Unlike the previous strokes, which would inspire heat in their wake, Maul's hands brought forth an instant burn that Obi-wan struggled desperately to dislike.

"Why do you resist?" Maul's voice rumbled deeply, making the hairs on the back of the Jedi's neck raise on end.

Obi-wan trembled as he felt the strokes circling closer and closer to his groin. He muffled his own moans by biting his lip, eyes half-closed in denial and pleasure intertwined. He grabbed desperately at the Sith's outer sleeves, trying to come to terms with the reality and seriousness of the situation. Finally, Maul's hand came to boldly encase the Jedi Knight's hot shaft, tearing an unexpected moan from Obi-wan.

"I am stronger than you." Darth Maul breathed into Obi-wan's ears, his grin seeping into his voice and he sensed his eminent victory.

The Jedi Knight felt the bottom of his stomach pitch downward in his despair, believing the Sith's words to be true. But something in the arrogant tone and the words themselves brought Obi-wan to a screeching halt.

'Stronger than me…?' Obi-wan's thoughts questioned in a slow drawl.

He felt the Force flow slowly back into his pleasure-numbed limbs. He hadn't noticed it before, everything had happened so fast. But there was a crackle of strong energy from the Force surrounding them both.

And not all of that energy belonged to Maul.

A smile crept onto the Jedi's face. It was enough of a change to make the Sith Lord pause in his ministrations. The smugness of his impending victory still radiated from Maul's twisted grin, but for a moment that smugness froze.

Then suddenly everything around the Sith Lord streaked past.

Obi-wan broke free of the Force bindings, using his grip on Maul's robe to launch the Sith from him in a movement so swift you could miss it in the blink of an eye.

One moment Maul had been gloating, relishing his position on top of the writhing Jedi, the next he found himself on the opposite part of the room. In fact, he was wedged slightly into the wall, his sight slightly blurred from a growing ache on the back of his head. A concussion that would have rendered any lesser man unconscious, no doubt. That is, _if_ they were still breathing.

Obi-wan, on the other hand, felt fantastic. He slowly stood, confidence cascading from him as his robe smoothly pooled around his feet. He kept eye contact with the confused golden orbs, his own smug grin coming into play.

"Undoubtedly, that previous statement of yours, Sith, is not quite as true as you believed." The Jedi Knight said calmly.


	6. Did you forget?

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Star Wars or any of its characters. If I did, then the movie would have taken a huge U-turn and placed certain characters together…

-o-o-o-

"So the little Jedi has a spark in him after all…" Darth Maul commented, his growl skewing the meaning of the appraisal.

Ignoring the statement, Obi-wan reached through the force, calling his forgotten light saber from the ground. Much to Maul's dismay, the Sith found the Knight to be a largely irritating distraction. Had he his wits prior to his run in with the Jedi days before, the weapon would not have been so easy for Obi-wan to retrieve.

"So the scales have tipped… what's it to be, Jedi?" The Sith Lord questioned as he watched Obi-wan bringing the light saber to life once it was in the Jedi's grasp, "Will you finish me off, just as your former Jedi compatriot attempted to do?"

"He was no Jedi." Obi-wan frowned. It was impossible. Why would a follower of the Light try to do such a deed?

"We both heard what was said." Maul smirked slightly, nodding his horned head in the direction of the still body, "Heard who sent him."

The Jedi Knight wrestled with the anger that rose at the Sith's accusation. But Maul was right in this matter. They both heard what was spoken.

"Yes." Obi-wan said briskly. The Jedi Knight paused, finding himself very much in need of taking a deep, relaxing breath. "But ripples in the surface do not reveal the truths beneath the depths."

Darth Maul made a face, "Jedi and their useless fanciful words."

"Better than the barbaric ways of the Sith." Obi-wan shot back.

Not phased at all, Maul replied, "Speaking of barbaric ways, I would like to have my way with you-"

"Shut up," Obi-wan interrupted, earning a searing glare from the Sith Lord, "Though I should just kill you now for what you attempted to do, you did, oddly enough, not kill me. Again. So I, in turn, will spare you."

What had been a searing glare shifted to a leer and finally to a slightly confused, one eyebrow-cocked look on the Sith's red and ebony face. The sheer trust and honor in this one Jedi threatened to make the Sith Lord choke. Such foolishness from a creature with such power.

"You should consider your words and actions wisely, Jedi." Darth Maul warned against his better judgment, eyes narrowed to better track the Knight's movement, "You may come to regret them later."

"You would use threats instead of gratitude?" Obi-wan inquired, shaking his head in disbelief.

Sensing the Jedi's confidence, Darth Maul sneered, "You overestimate yourself, Jedi."

"No, Sith, it is YOU who underestimates me." The Jedi Knight replied calmly, deactivating his light saber as he matched stare for stare with the Sith Lord. If there was ever a time for Maul to attack, it would be now. Seconds ticked by and still the Sith Lord did not move.

Obi-wan shifted his gaze, but never put down his guard, as he continued, "We should both go our separate ways. There is no point in me arresting you if what the traitor said was, indeed, true. So it would be best to-"

Movement.

The Jedi Knight whipped out the light saber, his weapon arcing with precision and speed through the attack. But it had only been a crate. A diversion! Obi-wan turned, but too late. He felt the wind knocked out of him as a whirl of black robes and its wearer's strong muscled core toppled him over.

"Fast," Darth Maul growled appreciatively, his golden gaze boring into Obi-wan's blue eyes, "but not fast enough."

"What is the meaning of this?" The Jedi Knight exclaimed, outraged and utterly confused, "You're free to leave."

"I am not some caged mongrel you can parade around on a leash, going somewhere or other on command." The Sith Lord snarled, his voice dangerously low, teeth gleaming like daggers. Obi-wan hadn't noticed it before, but sometime after he had jammed his saber into the cell's control panel, the lights had gone from alert and red back to normal white. It made Maul's tattoos stand out even more, highlighting his features in a sleek and primal frame.

"Of course not," Obi-wan agreed, his mouth suddenly gone dry as he looked deep into the feral golden orbs before him, "you're more of a beast than anything else."

A beast he wanted to be ravaged by. Wait, what? Obi-wan shook his head to clear his thinking. This was the Sith Lord he was talking about here. Focus.

Darth Maul's lip twitched into a deeper snarl. His senses were being overloaded. The sweat and the cinnamon smell that invaded his nostrils was purely the Jedi Knight's own. The sight of his prey sprawled before him, a small hint of fear covered by the robes and layers of confidence and anger. The feel of the Jedi's smooth skin against the stiff touch of the cloth and the cold steel of the floor. His primitive side was the one running the show now and he very much enjoyed having Obi-wan near.

Obi-wan watched very carefully as the Sith Lord seemed preoccupied with something. Then all of a sudden Maul's head dipped lower and it took all the Jedi's strength and control not to jerk his head away like some startled padawan. He could not, however, control the way he froze at the closeness, a small shudder running through him at the low growl that reverberated within the Sith's chest.

Darth Maul placed his mouth right next to the Jedi Knight's ear, his tone drawled but barely above a whisper, "Do you really believe you can 'set me free'? What's to stop me from simply killing you, right here and now?"

The Sith Lord was so preoccupied with other thoughts that it took a split second longer for him to notice the tapping near his hip. He glanced down. The Jedi, light saber in hand, had positioned the inactive blade above the Sith's hipbone. Golden orbs looked back to find Obi-wan with his own little smirk.

"The same thing that stopped you from having your way earlier: Me." Obi-wan replied nonchalantly, "Now, what's to stop me from gutting you like a fish right now?"

A growl rumbled appreciatively in Maul's throat. The Jedi frowned. This was obviously not the reaction he had intended to have. The Sith enjoyed power and all who own up to it. Maul wouldn't go so far as to say that the Jedi was stronger than him, but Obi-wan did present an interesting challenge.

They matched stare for stare, each sizing the other up. Obi-wan was almost afraid that the Sith would call his bluff. For there was, in fact, something stopping him from just gutting the Sith Lord. It was the same thing that didn't stop him from going into the cell a couple days ago. The same thing that made him plunge his saber into the cell control panel. He wanted to say it was his Jedi compassion, but that didn't quite fit into the puzzle that arose in his mind. It was something else entirely. And it was something the Jedi Knight did not want to dwell on.

Finally, the Sith spoke, "Know this, Jedi. You are walking away unscathed because I am LETTING you. You are alive so far because I have not decided to kill you yet. I will allow you to find the answers for your leaders you so desperately seek, but know this: I WILL find you later. You can run to the far reaches of the galaxy, hide within the deepest wildernesses unknown, but you cannot outrun me. You cannot HIDE from me. Even before my indoctrination into the Sith I was the most notorious hunter of my species. The forces of Dark have only increased that skill tenfold. Not only that but I know your scent, your touch, your sounds, and your… taste."

Before Obi-wan knew what was happening, he felt a warm, rough tongue trailing up his neck. He gasped at the sensation, his body shuddering as it sent a spike of heat down to his core. But his anger was quick to rise at the nerve of the Sith, and he retaliated though he half-knew his efforts would go in vain. Sure enough, Darth Maul was off him in a second, even before the light saber had hummed its first sparks of life.

Darth Maul wasn't phased at all, though the Jedi Knight did look quite appealing on the ground with that furious scowl. Before the Sith Lord turned to leave, he kept eye contact with the Knight, "Just remember one thing. You. Are. MINE." A possessive growl trailed at the end of the statement, the very sound of it sending a shiver down Obi-wan's spine.

The flutter of the ebony robes marked the Sith's departure, and the Jedi was just left to frown and dust himself off. Tucking his light saber away in its sheath, Obi-wan muttered under his breath, "Like hell I am."

Under a dark cowl in the passageways of the ship, the Sith Lord's hearing picked it up and a smirk formed on his face. The Jedi didn't know how wrong he was.

-o-o-o-

Obi-wan couldn't sleep. He had been in several spaceports, traveling towards the Jedi Council. Three times he had been attacked, each in different places and each always completely out of the blue. Whoever wanted him dead had the resources to dig up some pretty talented characters. He didn't know what he'd find when he finally reached the Council. More and more he was beginning to become unsure he really wanted to.

The last encounter had nearly ripped his arm off. A nice sized gash trailed across his shoulder to his elbow. It was nothing a night's worth under a bacta patch wouldn't take care of. But that wasn't all that was bothering him. Ever since he had left the prison transport those many weeks ago, he had felt at a loss. Something… something wasn't quite right and it was driving the Jedi crazy. He wasn't sure what had happened the first time he had made contact with the new Sith Lord in the force-suppressed cell, but whatever it was had amped up his own power in the Force. However, there was still this insane itch in the back of his skull…

Despite his efforts, the Jedi Knight started to draw up images of the Zabrakian. Those red and black tattoos provided the backdrop to the intense golden orbs that flashed through his mind. Those eyes, those predatory eyes were unlike any Obi-wan had ever seen before. No one had ever looked at him the way that Sith had. Nor had the nerve to touch him the way the Sith Lord had. Obi-wan's space was something he cherished and relinquished to no one, not even on the battlefield. All his skirmishes were dealt with an invisible barrier shielding the Jedi Knight from his tainted foe. Even his friends never had the chance of getting past them. Yet somehow, this Sith Lord has found a crack. And the Sith didn't have any qualms exploiting it.

Darth Maul's voice echoed in his mind, '…MINE…'

Obi-wan snapped out of it, scowling once more. Who did the Sith Lord think he was? The Jedi Knight was not an object to be owned. But the Jedi couldn't help remembering the way it felt when the Sith touched him with the Force, or with his own skilled hands. Suddenly there was a burn that his skin ached to feel. A fire the Knight felt the urge to put out.

"Great." The Knight sighed, eyes upwards at the hull of his small transport, "How am I going to get sleep _now_?"

He needed to find a way to get rid of all this tension and pent up energy and he needed it soon. Grabbing his outer robe, the Jedi left the transport and made his way through the docking bay. He wasn't sure how exactly he planned on spending it, whether through a fight or a run or whatever, but he kept his eyes open. That's when he spotted it. It looked half run down with a neon sign that flickered. It was in red and was twisted in one of the thousands of intergalactic translations. But the bouncer standing outside and the pumping sounds of loud music inside made it very obvious what the nature of the place was.

It was a club and dancing sounded like exactly what the Knight needed. He walked up to the bouncer, fingering his credits in his pocket, willing to pay any amount he had to get inside. He needed a distraction desperately. Much to his surprise, however, the bouncer just looked him over once before nodding him in. This, of course, did not go over well with the line of customers who stood waiting. Obi-wan smirked as the door swung open before him, surprised at his luck. The protests outside had just been silenced with loud and irritated "SHUT UP!" just as the door shut.

The itch was still very much there and Obi-wan quickened his pace to the dance floor. He passed by some poor drunk alone at a table. Without a second thought, the Jedi Knight disposed of his outer robe on the empty seat next to the guy, "Watch this for me." Without missing a beat, the Knight kept walking right until he hit the outer edges of the multi-hued dance floor.

Immediately, he just let the beat and rhythm of the music take control of his body. He swayed to the tempo, moving and stepping at all the right moments. He was oblivious to the numerous gazes watching him dance hungrily, he was only aware of surrendering himself fully to the beat. Obi-wan found himself in the middle of the dance floor, though he wasn't quite sure how he had gotten there. But it didn't matter to him so long as he was able to sweat out all that excess energy and nerves. It wasn't until he had accidentally bumped into someone behind him that the Jedi Knight pulled himself back to the present. About to turn around and apologize, the words were taken right out of Obi-wan's mouth as he felt hands slip down to hold his hips.

Turning around and effectively breaking the grip, Obi-wan eyed the person up and down. It was some humanoid alien with green skin. It also looked obviously male. "Sorry," The Jedi said, realizing the only reason Obi-wan had bumped into him was because the alien had been dancing so close, "not interested."

However, that was just the start of the offers. Next, Obi-wan found himself wedged between two beings with four arms each. And none of those arms were keeping their hands to themselves. With much effort, the Jedi Knight managed to pry himself from their grasp, though they didn't let him leave without at least three gropes on the ass. His most sorry predicament, however, came from when he accidentally danced into a life form with three legs and strong urge to grind against the Jedi Knight. By the time he was able to get away, his legs were shaking and he could feel the tip of his cock coated in pre-cum.

He was just about to make his way off the dance floor to get a drink when he turned around and ran straight into the very large chest of a very large humanoid form. The reptilian creature also had a very large bulge under the tight cloth it chose to masquerade as pants. Obi-wan chuckled nervously, backing up slowly as he imagined just how painful it would be to have to sleep with something like that. Slowly, the Jedi turned around and started to walk away. But he could hear the big thing following. Shit. He really didn't want to be thrown out of the place for starting a fight.

That's when another human sidled up next to him, throwing an arm around his shoulders as if they had always been casual friends. Obi-wan had just thrown him a look, about to open his mouth when the other man spoke, "It's best to turn down their interests early in the game. The Crokains are not the brightest of species, but they are the most relentless."

Eyebrow raised in question, the Jedi Knight decided to let this little charade play out. Sure enough when he turned around after they had walked a couple paces together, the big reptilian creature was gone. Relieved, Obi-wan turned to the man, but once again the other beat him to the punch, "You can thank me by having a drink with me."

Not entirely sure, Obi-wan caste another look back into the crowd. However, when he found the eyes of the Crokain watching them, he decided maybe the offer wasn't such a bad idea after all. Nodding, the Jedi followed the dark haired man to a booth.

"What'll it be?" The man asked him, green eyes curious.

"Just water will be fine." Obi-wan replied, taking a seat across from him. His thoughts, however, were elsewhere. That itch he had been feeling was lessening. Perhaps this whole dancing idea had been a good thing after all.

The man was blabbing on and on so much about his life that Obi-wan hadn't really noticed the drinks arriving until the other was pushing it to his side of the table. Taking the glass, Obi-wan looked at the man and said, "You know, I don't even know your name."

"Oh, didn't I tell you?" The man asked, slightly embarrassed, "It's Tuk. And yours?"

"Obi-wan." The Knight replied absentmindedly, too busy gulping down his water to say much else. He hadn't realized just how thirsty he had been. How long had he danced out there? A couple hours?

"It's funny, you don't see much Jedi in dance clubs and bars these days." Tuk commented.

Obi-wan arched his brow, then remembered what he was wearing, "I'm that obvious, huh?"

"Like a neon sign." Tuk chuckled, but then suddenly turned serious, his gaze over Obi-wan's shoulder, "We should probably go. Your friend looks like he's been thinking things over and is coming back."

The Jedi turned around, eyes widening slightly as he noticed the reptilian creature headed his way. Tuk grabbed Obi-wan's wrist, his voice low, "Quick, come with me. I know a place we could take refuge until he loses interest."

It took all the Jedi Knight's will to not complete the knee-jerk reaction of tossing the man that the sudden wrist hold had brought on. When the words registered, Obi-wan nodded once and they were sprinting off down one of the club's corridors. Both out of breath once they reached a room, Obi-wan let the other man close the door as he plopped down on the couch. This whole lack of sleep must be really hitting him harder than he realized. Tuk had his ear pressed against the door for a couple minutes before he finally breathed out, "Okay, I think we lost him."

Obi-wan didn't mind when Tuk sat down on the floor. Hey, more couch space for him. But what he did mind was when the other man's hands were suddenly unzipping the Jedi Knight's pants.

"What do you think you're doing?" The Jedi Knight demanded, grabbing the offending wrist.

"Please, you're tense. You're tired. I can see it. Just, just let me help you." The man pleaded, green eyes looking up at him from under his mop of black curls.

"You think just because you helped me out, which I am grateful for, you can just help yourself to whatever you please?" Obi-wan questioned, his voice getting a little heated.

"No, of course not. Please. Just let me help, Obi-wan. This is my way of thanking you for your time."

"My… time?" Obi-wan asked, confused. His grip on the wrist loosened.

"You're a Jedi, right? It's what I've always wanted to be. And to meet one face to face is an honor. Please, let me help you sleep." Tuk pleaded again.

The Jedi Knight frowned in thought. Well, he hadn't been with someone else in a long time. And perhaps a good old hand job would do the trick of erasing all traces of that itch in the back of his skull. It's not as if Tuk hadn't helped him out earlier as well.

Letting go of the man's wrist, Obi-wan shrugged, if this was really what the man wanted, "Go for it."

In the blink of an eye, Obi-wan was gripping the couch on either side of his, panting. He really hadn't done this in a long time. Not only that but old Tuk there seemed to be going at it like a pro, his hand dancing up and down the Jedi's rod like their was no tomorrow. But no matter how the man did it, it just didn't feel right.

"Wait, I change my mind." Obi-wan grunted.

But Tuk was acting like a man on a mission. Pumping the Jedi Knight for all he was worth.

"Stop." The Jedi Knight demanded, really not looking forward to teaching the guy the hard way, "I'm warning you. Stop now."

Then, all of a sudden, the man did stop. But it wasn't because of Obi-wan. He had his hand around his neck, as if fighting some invisible enemy. Obi-wan watched wide-eyed as the man was lifted in the air, choking. Just as abruptly as the attack had begun, it ended with the man being thrown bodily across the room. Straight into the wall.

It was when the Knight returned his vision ahead of him that it all became clear. A black hooded figure stood in the open doorway, his tattoos gleaming in the candlelight. His gloved hand was outstretched to the side, fingers curled in the direction of the fallen male, as if he wished to continue the use of the Force to pulverize his remains.

The voice from the new figure growled slowly, his focus on the unconscious man on the ground, "The man said stop."

Obi-wan's voice came out of a suddenly dry throat as those golden orbs turned back on him, "Maul…"

It really was the Sith Lord. He had Obi-wan's forgotten outer robe, the gloved hand it was in giving off a characteristic not far from strangulation. Taking in the menacing cloaked figure in the doorway with widened blue eyes, the Knight could sense the rolls of anger emanating from the stiff form. When his blue orbs traveled back up to connect with narrowed golden, Obi-wan forced his parched throat to swallow nonexistent saliva as he gulped. Maul looked… extremely… pissed off.

-o-o-o-

Darth Maul stepped into the establishment, ignoring the sound of the bouncer whimpering in pain from his broken hand. It wasn't the Sith's fault that the man didn't know who he was dealing with. Said he'd be bad for business or some crap like that. Of course, it wasn't the man's fault that he had the Jedi's scent on him. Then again, it also wasn't Maul's fault the bouncer didn't know how to shake hands like a real man. Too bad about all those fingers.

The Sith Lord scanned the room, everyone too busy to notice the commotion in the front. The front door had shut closed anyway. Closing his eyes, Maul sniffed the air for a moment before he locked his sights on a single table. In an instant he knew the man sitting there wasn't who he was looking for, but something at the table was. Grabbing the article of clothing, the Sith Lord simply shoved the man's face away with his free hand when he tried to protest, walking off without a second glance.

Darth Maul could smell the Jedi Knight's scent all over some of the dancers. Something was wrong. He needed to find Obi-wan now. He didn't have time for anything else. He couldn't feel the Jedi through the Force. That thought alone made the Sith Lord clench his jaw so hard he swore he could taste blood. Since he couldn't use the Force, he simply fell back on his other senses. Gritting his teeth, he filed away their profiles in his mind so he could track them all down later and kill them.

He found the most recent trail and followed it down a corridor. The scent of cinnamon was getting stronger. But there was another scent. Another person. And both led him to a room. Getting angrier by the second, the Sith was just about ready to explode when he heard Obi-wan gasping and demanding for the other person to stop. His fist clenched uncontrollably as he felt his primal side surging to the forefront. Once through the door, he had just barely enough control to keep from spraying the man's guts in front of and all over the Jedi Knight, because something told him that would be a really bad idea.

Glaring at the unconscious body, wishing he could just tear the stranger limb from limb right there, Darth Maul growled, "The man said stop." His outstretched hand clenched and unclenched as he fought with the desire for bloodshed.

When the Sith Lord turned his gaze towards the Jedi Knight, he couldn't help the slight smirk that came to his lips. Obi-wan was a sight to behold, even with his mouth gaping open like a fish out of water. When the Knight said the Sith's name, Maul couldn't help the pleased shiver that ran down his spine.

But the Sith Lord was still pissed off. And the little Jedi had a lesson to learn.

-o-o-o-

Obi-wan definitely did not like the look on the Sith Lord's face. Embarrassed already by the predicament the Sith had found him in, the Jedi Knight tripped over his tongue slightly as he stood, trying to zip his pants back up, "M-maul…" He immediately cleared his throat, trying to make his tone stern, "What are you doing here?"

The only reply was Maul's angry breaths in the silent room and tense room, a warning growl in his throat.

As Obi-wan looked into those feral eyes, he realized just how deep in trouble he was. The Sith looked very angry, his form posed to strike even as he stalked predatorily towards the Jedi.

Maybe the Sith had changed his mind. Maybe he wanted the Jedi dead now. Obi-wan had no idea. Immediately, the Knight forgot about zipping up his pants and went on the defensive, preparing to divert the Sith's attack so he could bolt out the door for a better fighting location. This space was too limited and enclosed.

"I don't know what I did to piss you off so much, but maybe we could just talk about it." Obi-wan stated aloud, ever the peacemaker.

But Maul just growled furiously, "Did you forget?"

"Wha-?" Obi-wan was about to ask.

His eyes flickered to the brown robe as it fell from the Zabrak's hands. But that was just the opening the Sith was looking for. He was like a red and black blur through the air, tackling the Jedi and pinning him to the couch. The Knight was taken by surprise, but he wasn't slow. He prepared for instant retaliation and launched a repulsion wave through the Force. But… nothing happened.

Frowning, Obi-wan tried again but with the same results. The Sith Lord's angry golden eyes narrowed as he growled, "Drugged?"

The Jedi Knight's eyes widened in realization. The water!

Ever the resourceful one, he reached down his belt for his weapon. But the Sith Lord was faster. Obi-wan felt dwarfed as he sunk into the couch, Maul's lean muscled form crouching over him, power and danger rolling off him in waves. One of Maul's hands held a fistful of the front of Obi-wan's shirt, helping hold the Jedi in place as well as pinning him down. One of the Jedi's feet touched the floor, but with the knee the Sith Lord had positioned between the Knight's legs, Obi-wan was pretty much trapped. The Sith had better leverage, a better position, and the use of the Force. Not to mention his other hand held the Jedi's light saber.

Obi-wan refused to close his eyes to the inevitable. He waited for the burn of the energy blade to plunge through his heart. But to his utter shock and surprise, the Sith Lord simply tossed the weapon away over his shoulder. Though he no longer had it in his sights, he heard it land with a 'clank' on the floor, skidding for a few moments before crashing into some corner somewhere. With that final sound, the Jedi Knight felt his hopes fall, but he wasn't one to cower against the inevitable. Gripping the hand that held his shirt, Obi-wan demanded, "What do you want, Maul?"

There were a million things the Sith Lord could have said. That he wanted to rip the offending human from limb to limb. That he had been tracking the Jedi's movements painstakingly over the course of the weeks, bitter that he never came in time for the attacks, but proud that his Jedi could stand his own ground and won each time. He could have said those things, but he didn't. His senses were ruling him now. He sniffed out the copper tang in the air, using his free hand to grip the Knight's sleeve.

Before Obi-wan's confused and frowning gaze could formulate itself into a verbal question, the Sith had ripped the sleeve off from his stitched hem. This angered the Jedi to no end, "What, in Creator's name, are you…"

But the Jedi Knight's words trailed off as he watched, entranced as the Sith took an obvious interest to the new wound he had there from one of the assassination attempts. Obi-wan hardly blinked as the black and red tattoed menace lowered his head, sniffing the long scar. The Jedi opened his mouth to protest but could only shudder when he felt Maul's tongue experimentally darted out to taste the wound.

"I was sure I made myself clear before," Obi-wan was a little shaken from the Sith's presence and actions, but he forced his tone to be serious as he continued, "so thank you for the help, but I can take it from here. I think it is best that you leave."

Still, the Zabrak said nothing, but he did lower his sights. Simultaneously the Sith's free hand traveled towards the unzipped pants. It was tainted from the previous encounter. It was up to Maul to cleanse it from his Jedi.

Renewing his struggles, Obi-wan tried to stop the hand, only to earn a furious snarl from the feral beast above him. That was when the Jedi Knight realized he was not dealing with Maul, but rather his primal essence. His animal side. Obi-wan froze as the Sith Lord leaned forward, teeth slightly bared. Slowly, the Jedi turned his head to the side, trying to avoid eye contact. Who knew if that would only further enrage him. Instead of biting, the Sith inhaled deeply through his nose. The Sith Lord was… smelling him.

Completely perplexed, Obi-wan had no idea what to make of the situation. But soon his thinking was thrown out the window as the Zabrak's firm hand pulled out Obi-wan's vulnerable cock. Praying to the Creator that the Sith wasn't about to castrate him, the Jedi Knight slowly tried to pull himself backwards off the couch by somehow maneuvering himself over the armrest. But before he could get anywhere with that plan, Maul fixed his hardened gaze into Obi-wan's slightly terrified blue orbs.

The Jedi had one warning as the Sith repeated, "Mine."

Then Obi-wan's world exploded in pleasure. Gasping, the Jedi lost all strength in his arms as the Sith Lord started fisting him. He sunk back into the couch, breath coming in hard and fast. Nothing about Maul's actions was slow or steady. This was all too fast for the helpless Jedi Knight to process. Those skilled tattooed fingers found all the right places to stroke. The right speed. The right pressure. And like a tightly bound ball of yarn, Obi-wan was quickly unraveling.

The ebony clothe fell like a curtain around the two, draping off of Maul's taut shoulder blades. Through glimpses when Obi-wan could actually pry his eyes open, he saw those golden orbs watching him, drinking in every last detail. The Jedi could feel his face heat up at the realization. He bit his lip to stifle any sounds he would make, but the Sith Lord wasn't having any of that. Maul alternated between teasing the head and pumping the shaft, making sure to run a thumb slick from pre-cum along the sensitive vein. Obi-wan couldn't help it. He cried out in pleasure, writhing in the couch as he grabbed hold of the cushions. He felt like he was going to explode.

Against his wishes, he felt his hips pumping up and down in rhythm with Maul's fist. He couldn't stop himself. It felt so good. All the movement was pulling his pants down farther and farther, exposing his ass to the heated air. His body trembled and his cock leaked, providing further lubrication for Maul's talented hand. Obi-wan tried to hold back a moan, but Maul noticed and skillfully drew it out, playing with the Jedi's cock once more before returning to the powerful pumping.

"I- I can't." Obi-wan moaned, perspiration spotting his brow.

The Sith Lord licked his lips in anticipation. The Jedi Knight was close. He pumped faster, making the Jedi beneath him gasp for breath. Obi-wan didn't know just how good he looked, ass and cock bared to the world. His uncontrolled hip motions had also pushed his shirt up, allowing some of the Knight's sweat-covered toned abs to shine in the candlelight. Maul's own shaft was so hard right now it hurt, but he could wait his turn. The body beneath him was tensing. The boy was ready, if only he would stop holding himself back.

The Sith Lord used the finger of his other hand to rub on the cum-covered slit of the Jedi's cock, not pausing in his increased pumping tempo. Groaning uncontrollably, the Jedi Knight barely noticed when the hand groped his ass. Maul could see the Jedi Knight battling with his own will, but it was a lost cause. The Sith Lord's teeth gleamed in the light, "Cum for me, Jedi…"

"I can't." Obi-wan gasped, gripping the cushions so hard they almost tore.

"Don't fight it. Cum." Darth Maul offered, waiting for the spark of resistance that was sure to flare up.

Obi-wan's eyes shot open, burning blue locking onto Maul's flaming golden.

"I won't!" Obi-wan replied defiantly.

The Sith Lord smirked in satisfaction. Perfect. Now that he had his attention…

Maul growled low in promise, making sure he kept those eyes on his, "You will."

Without warning, Maul took his other cum-covered hand and plunged his slick digit into the Jedi's ass. Unprepared for the small intrusion, Obi-wan couldn't hold back the orgasm any longer as his whole body exploded from the pleasure overload. His toes curled and his back arched all the way up as he came, sperm shooting out in such strong bursts it almost hurt. The Jedi felt all the tension and heat that had coiled inside stream out, his muscles tensing as the orgasm ripped through his body.

Obi-wan moaned over and over again as he came, not realizing that as he did, he was saying Maul's name. The Sith Lord growled appreciatively, milking the Jedi's cock for all it was worth. He even slid the cum-slick finger in and out of the Knight's anus a little bit. This caused Obi-wan to jerk and gasp as a few more spurts came out of his cock, his body trembling afterwards from so much release.

His lesson done with, Maul was content with crouching over his prey, watching the little Jedi struggle with the emotions flitting through his features. Disbelief. Satisfaction. Turmoil. Anger. Distrust. But what won over all of them eventually was exhaustion. Obi-wan battled his eyelids as they drooped closed. He couldn't sleep, couldn't let his guard down, with his enemy so near!

"Sleep." The Sith Lord purred, finding satisfaction in the anger that flashed through those blue orbs before the Jedi finally lost the battle. With an agitated, sleep laden sigh, Obi-wan's head drooped against the couch as his body gave itself over the much needed realm of unconsciousness.

Looking down at his straining erection, the Sith Lord gave a sigh of his own. As much as he wanted to simply pound into his tight little Jedi's ass, he wouldn't. Tonight had been a lesson. He had to scourge the other's scent and touch off of what was his. The Sith's own bodily pleasures would come soon enough. In the meantime, he would simply find some other creature to fuck in this establishment.

However, first things first…

Darth Maul grabbed the human off the ground by his curly black hair, which woke him instantly. Dragging him out of the room so as not to wake the Jedi Knight, Maul growled menacingly, "Now, you are going to tell me exactly WHY you decided to drug what belongs to me…"

Though nothing would save the creature from his fate.


	7. truce

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars.

-o-o-o-

Obi-wan woke with a start, his eyes taking in an unfamiliar room. He was appalled to find his tunic had been askew, baring his chest to the empty room. However, that was nothing compared to his pants hanging loosely around his knees.

Jumping up from the couch, the Jedi Knight hastily fixed his clothes, throwing on his brown robes over it all for good measure. Though how it had found its way to the floor, was a different question entirely. Kenobi swayed weakly on his feet, wondering where the dizzy spell had come from, when it all came rushing back to him.

Kenobi's eyes widened.

The black-haired man. The Sith. Feral golden eyes. Possessive growling that sent shivers down to the bone. Heated caresses that burned his senses even now. Maul's unusual obsession with licking.

Not to mention the best hand job he had ever received in his life.

Though… it had been so heated… so primal… that it seemed _more_ than that. Obi-wan felt heat rise quickly to redden his face. What had he been thinking? How had he allowed such a thing to happen?

Drugged.

As if the heat growing inside him had been heading in that direction all along, Kenobi found himself suddenly filled with anger. He had been drugged. For whatever reason, that dark-haired man had drugged his water.

And Maul…

The Sith hadn't even blinked to use that disadvantage against him. Clenching his teeth so hard it almost hurt, Obi-wan used the force to propel his discarded lightsaber from the corner of the room. Without even glancing at the projectile, he grabbed the weapon midair and stuffed it into the sheath, yanking the door open so hard it almost ripped off its hinges. With a dark expression, the Knight scoured the halls, all but drowning out the rhythmic beat that seemed to vibrate the very walls of the club.

Reaching out through the force, he sensed the dark presence of the Sith as easily as if it had been a bonfire in the middle of the night. Somehow, that only managed to further anger the Jedi Knight. Maul wasn't even trying to cloak himself! Did he not believe Kenobi to be a threat?

He tracked the dark aura to a door that was slightly open. Hand on his saber, preparing to ignite the blade and rush in, Obi-wan's icy eyes flashed upwards only to widen in shock. He froze in the doorway, mouth parting slightly as he forgot how to breath.

Through the crack in the door, he had a clear view of the Sith Master.

Sweat trickled down what exposed, tattooed muscles Obi-wan could see. The movements were rapid and obvious in their repetitive motions. The moment Kenobi caught sight of the second person, positioned underneath the Sith, it was as if his hearing came back with a vengeance. Loud moaning was coming from the stranger, while the Jedi could only hear grunts from Maul himself.

Forcing his eyes away from the pair, the Jedi shifted silently to take in the rest of the room. There were lumps of clothes scattered around the room. But the fact that they were so huge made Obi-wan look closer. And when they moved, he nearly jumped back. They were people! But why did they look so…

The Jedi Knight breathed in sharply. Had Maul… fucked all of them? There were… at least… a dozen of them…

…that Kenobi could *see*…

Obi-wan was so distracted, he didn't notice his fingers loosening their grip until it was too late. With a loud clatter, his lightsaber fell to the ground.

Cursing silently, his blue eyes flicked from the saber on the ground, to the scene through the door. He prayed to the creator that the Sith hadn't heard him. Then again, sometimes he wondered if whatever higher power was out there ever, EVER, heard him.

Feral eyes flashed upwards, the heat in the Sith's gaze so strong, Obi-wan could only swallow thickly from his dry throat. What got to the Jedi the most was that Maul just kept fucking, even knowing that Kenobi was standing there. If anything, the Sith Master seemed to be driving into the unknown person harder than before.

Obi-wan's hair raised on the back of his neck, heat pooling instantly between his legs. At the realization that this was affecting him at all, the Jedi felt his face redden uncontrollably.

Doing the first thing he could think of, Obi-wan shut the door quickly with the force. But it wasn't before he caught the appreciative growl, and the smug smirk, emanating from the Sith.

Brows furrowing, Kenobi started walking away. With a single sweep of his arm, he caught his traitorous lightsaber and force pushed a large statue in front of the door. For good measure, he threaded the statue to the door with force webs.

"Sex fiend…" Obi-wan growled under his breath.

He'd like to see how long the Sith would take to get out of there.

Not sure whether it was anger, or another kind of frustration building up, the Jedi just shook his head and stepped up his pace. The farther away he was from the Zabrakian, the better he would feel.

-o-o-o-

Sitting in the pilot chair, warming up his small spacecraft's engine, Obi-wan was just about to close the back hatch when he felt it.

Before he had even sprung out his chair, one hand on the top as he sailed over, his lightsaber was already out and sizzling. He was at the back ramp in the matter of seconds, slicing outwards in a horizontal arc, forcing the other to leap back.

"What are you doing here?" He bit out, tense as he watched the Sith like a hawk.

"What is that annoying phrase…?" Maul drawled out slowly, unfazed that he had come an inch from getting cut in two, "I… come in peace?"

"I fail to see how that applies in our present… situation." Kenobi muttered.

"And here I thought the Jedi code-" The Sith began to say.

But Obi-wan interrupted with a fierce shake of his head, "I don't care what the code dictates. You are not welcome here."

The Sith Master revealed a flash of pointed teeth as he stated, "I sense great conflict in you, Jedi. But what, exactly, is it that your morals trouble you about?"

Uncalled for images of sweat and red and black tattoos flashed through Kenobi's head. Attempting to push them away, Obi-wan said distractedly, "That… is none of your business."

Maul lunged.

Slashing at a place the Sith Master had been a microsecond ago, Kenobi was disheartened to find Maul skillfully dodging under his second attack to come up and disarm him forcefully. His wrist stinging, Obi-wan found himself face to face with a snarling Zabrakian, his own lightsaber humming inches away.

"It becomes my business when you let your weaknesses, your fatigue, get in the way of defending yourself." The Sith growled, posed as though ready to pierce the Jedi through his torso.

Through narrowed eyes, Obi-wan observed the Sith before him. He decided, at least momentarily, to ignore the fact that Maul had this insane idea he belonged to him and said instead, "I guess I should thank you for intervening last night, though I should also kill you for pressing what advantages you had over me in the events that followed."

"Why lie to yourself, Jedi?" Maul demanded, relaxing his pose as he paced slowly in front of Kenobi, "I've seen you… sensed you… felt your reactions. You enjoyed what I did to you last night. Enjoyed what you… saw… moments ago."

"You know nothing." Kenobi retorted, "I do not know when you will get this through your thick skull. No matter what I find out with the Council, I am still a Jedi. You are still a Sith. Whatever it is that you're scheming, whatever it is that you want, you need to understand that you are not going to get it."

"Poor, naïve, Jedi." Maul sighed, getting pleasure out of seeing Kenobi physically bristle at the statement, "Do you believe I got to this station out of luck? It was out of skill and pure, determined motivation. I always get what I want. Last night was just a sample."

"What happened last night," Obi-wan said sharply, "was the first and last of its kind. You will get nothing more out of me."

Darth Maul let out a dark chuckle, "If that is what you choose –foolishly- to believe, why should I stop you?"

Kenobi clenched his teeth so hard, he almost swore they would fuse together. Why was the Sith so easily able to get a rise out of him? Letting out a frustrated sigh, Obi-wan forced himself to calm down.

Determined to show just how unafraid he was of Maul's intrusion, he turned and headed back to the pilot's chair, mentioning calmly, "I really don't want to go through the process of finding another ship after I fight you, so would you save us both the trouble and leave, since that's how everything will turn out anyway?"

"You trust far too easily…" The Sith's voice was edged in anger.

Sitting down, Obi-wan replied, "If you were going to kill me, you would have tried a long time ago."

The hairs on the back of Kenobi's neck raised as he heard the Sith Master tread closer, almost too silent to hear. But the Jedi forced himself to remain calm, leaving a fraction of tension to get ready to move if need be. Maul said slowly, "Perhaps… I am merely biding my time…"

"If that were only true…" Kenobi sighed. If anything, it would put him on more familiar ground. He would rather be defending his life from Darth Maul than whatever new game it was that the Sith was trying to play.

"Enough talk, Jedi." Maul said from somewhere behind Obi-wan, "The reason for my presence is that I have come to travel with you."

"And in what universe would I ever agree to such an arrangement?" Obi-wan scoffed, turning in his chair to look at the Sith.

Darth Maul was leaning against the wall, deactivated saber twirling between his deft fingers, "The one where you realize if you don't get enough sleep, it will only be a matter of time before you slip up, and the assassins will actually complete their mission."

Obi-wan opened his mouth to protest, but Maul flicked his eyes up to glare at the Jedi Knight as he interrupted, continuing, "And if that reason isn't enough to compel you to accept my presence, then perhaps you will think on this: Do you really want to keep looking over your shoulder for me *and* the assassins as well?"

Kenobi frowned, closing his mouth. He gave the Sith Master a curious look, "And why would that convince me to bring you along, exactly?"

"I will give you my word, I will be much more… amiable… should you agree. A sort of… truce, you could say."

"And why should I trust you?" Obi-wan demanded, brow raised.

"Jedi…" Darth Maul smirked, tossing the saber from one hand to the other, "do you really have any other choice?"

Obi-wan was silent for a long time, pondering over all his options. But in the end, he knew the Sith was right. Unfortunately, from the smug look on Darth Maul's face, he realized the Sith already knew what his answer would be.

-o-o-o-

Unexpected as it was, the Sith was actually true to his word.

While Kenobi couldn't help remaining edgy around the other, Maul did manage to keep his hands, and everything else, to himself.

Still, Obi-wan kept his cabin door locked every night cycle and had the ship programmed to only take orders from the Jedi Knight himself.

It was after a few days of this that he noticed the Sith Master become more and more irritable. He didn't talk much, but Kenobi did catch Maul watching him all the time. But since he did nothing more than that, the Jedi Knight couldn't really kick him out for just observing.

Darth Maul had been so silent over the past couple days, it came as a shock when he actually came up to Kenobi and spoke, "We need to dock."

Busying himself by looking over the holo-navigation charts, Obi-wan replied absentmindedly, "Why? We're making good time."

"Soon." Maul added, as though the Knight hadn't said anything.

Frowning, Obi-wan fixed Darth Maul with an incredulous look, repeating, "Why?"

Darth Maul merely stared at him.

Frustrated, the Jedi Knight stood and began walking over to him, "We can't just dock for no reason. We're going to lose more time and the sooner we get there, the sooner this is all over with. So unless you have a good reason, then I don't see why-"

In the blink of an eye, Obi-wan found himself slammed hard against the wall, an enraged Sith Master pinning him down. Maul hissed, "Unless you are ready to *fuck*, I suggest you park this vessel in the nearest port. Otherwise I will break into your cabin and rape you in your sleep."

Kenobi was stunned with Darth Maul's blunt explanation. But the implications drove Obi-wan to counter with a sharp retort, "I would like to see you try."

When he noticed the Sith trembling ever-so-slightly, face revealing his barely retained self-control, the Jedi Knight realized now was probably not the best time to be provoking the beast. But he would rather die than show weakness to his enemy.

Tense, Obi-wan waited for an explosive reaction, preparing to defend himself.

Which is why he was surprised when the Sith took a harsh breath and stepped back, freeing the Knight. Obi-wan could only stare as Darth Maul walked away, his demeanor composed once more.

He almost would have questioned if anything had really happened, if Maul hadn't paused to say without glancing back, "This will be your only warning."

Then the Sith slipped away down the corridor.

Obi-wan just stood there for a moment, staring the way Maul had left. The Sith couldn't have been serious… could he?

Despite the internal war that raged, the most opposing forces being want, denial, and pride, Kenobi found himself walking back towards the nav charts. Sure enough, there was a planet close enough for them to reach within a couple hours.

Swallowing his pride, he changed the course of the ship. He wouldn't want to risk this temporary alliance Maul had constructed.

-o-o-o-

Weeks had gone by and, strangely enough, their alliance held. However, Obi-wan noticed that their routine stops to sate Maul's… cravings… were getting shorter and shorter. Where they were once able to go more than two weeks without stopping, Kenobi found it drastically reduced to only a couple days.

He was resting on his cot, catching up on some light reading, when he felt something change in the force. He was up in a second, body tensed, even as a black and red fist slammed through his door.

"Maul…" Obi-wan said low in warning, even as the door was ripped out, sparks flying.

Black robes billowed as the Sith walked silently through the new opening, unconcerned with the loose wires thrashing around dangerously.

"What are you doing?" The Jedi Knight demanded. But the Sith Master just kept walking towards him, his gaze unwavering.

Realizing a moment too late the seriousness of the situation, Kenobi reached out and force pulled his saber to him. But at the same time, Maul's hand swept out and force-deflected the weapon halfway to its destination. Swearing aloud, Obi-wan aimed his hand towards the Sith before him instead. But there was a little glitch with the temporary truce they held. While it did make less for the Jedi Knight to worry about, with having one of his enemies near, it also made it less easy for Obi-wan to rest. A veil of fatigue still draped itself over the Jedi, stalling his reaction time. Needless to say, whatever move Kenobi made was countered. Why? Because Maul was faster.

The force blast skewed to the side, punching a dent in the wall, as Darth Maul knocked Obi-wan's arm aside. Undeterred, the Jedi Knight threw a fist, which the Sith silently evaded as well. Obi-wan was just starting to get worried when he suddenly found himself thrown back on the cot, the wind knocked out of him. Now it was evident that he was completely screwed.

As the Sith pinned him down, Obi-wan felt the beginnings of panic lapping at his nerves. He didn't understand how this could be happening. They had made a stop two days ago. It couldn't possibly be getting this bad, could it?

Kenobi swore, knocking his head against the hard cot beneath him, as Maul grinded against him. The burst of pleasure quickly dispersed as Obi-wan forced himself to focus, glaring at the Sith above him as he warned, "I swear, Maul, you do this… and our truce is *over*."

This seemed to snap the Zabrakian out of whatever had momentarily taken over his senses. But he was not pleased at all. Taking in their positioning and Obi-wan's vulnerability, Maul dipped lower with a feral smirk, "You ever notice that itch in the back of your skull, Jedi? Ever wonder why it hasn't come back in a while…?"

Before Obi-wan could ponder more on the subject, Darth Maul had gotten up, his cloak trailing behind him as he left the room.

Sitting up slowly, trying to get his heartbeat to slow down, Kenobi glared out the broken door, "You better find a way to get yourself under control, Maul…"

-o-o-o-

The same day they landed in the port of a nearby planet, Obi-wan supervising a hired technician as he replaced the broken door with a thicker, more durable one.

He wondered why Maul had said what he had said earlier. How had the Sith known about the strange itch? And what did it mean, exactly?

The Jedi Knight stared outside of the transport's windows, out at the foreign view that greeted him. Already, Maul was gone longer than usual. Half of the day had passed. Kenobi was so lost in thought that he was surprised when the technician stood, commenting that he was finished. Thanking the man, the Jedi trailed him to the back end of the transport, stopping at the edge of the ramp.

Looking up, Obi-wan was shocked to find it was dark already. Had the whole day really gone by? Wondering what was taking the Sith so long, Kenobi shook his head and went back inside, closing the ramp. If Maul wanted in, he would just have to wait until the morning.

-o-o-o-

'Jedi…' Obi-wan woke with a start, the voice bringing a shiver down his spine.

It had almost sounded like the deep, throaty voice of someone in the room with him. But a close, albeit bleary-eyed, inspection of the room came up with nothing. Sending out a sweep through the force, Kenobi got up with an exasperated sigh. It seemed the Sith was back, and waiting impatiently outside the transport's back door.

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Obi-wan was too tired to get up the energy to be angry at the Sith Master for taking so long. Instead, he trudged wearily to the back of the ship, all but leaning entirely onto the latch to release the door. He turned without even waiting for it to fully lower and extend, intending to go right back to his room. However, the treading footsteps of two people made him curious. Pausing, Obi-wan turned to look.

Sure enough, the first person in his sights was Darth Maul, who just glowered at him and silently walked past. The second was a female stranger, a dark-haired beauty with charcoal outlined eyes. She slowed as she walked past, appraising him with a look, before winking and then following Maul to his assigned room. Something in him knew that woman was trouble, but if it would keep the Sith off of him, Kenobi didn't really care.

Or at least, he didn't think he would until he went back to his sleeping quarters. He had set the ship on autopilot first, feeling as though he was simply sleepwalking. Just when he was starting to drift back off to sleep, he heard the most disturbing noise. Frowning, Kenobi closed his eyes and concentrated, noticing that it was going at a constant rhythm. Then it hit him, his eyes widening even as he heard her voice, muffled though it was through the thick walls.

"Fuck me… fuck me… fuck me… fuck me!" She kept repeating, the rhythmic sound turning out to be the bed ramming into the wall.

He didn't really know why he was surprised. So what if he was fucking the girl in his ship? He could wait it out until the morning.

Unfortunately, every time he believed they were done, the bed would just start off slowly once more. Each time they would get faster and louder. Kenobi couldn't take it anymore. Trying his best not to think why she sounded like she was enjoying it so much, Obi-wan got off his cot and trudged wearily to the front of the ship.

It was the farthest away from the cabins as he could get, short of jumping into space.

Hopefully he could sleep just as well in the pilot's chair as his own bed.

-o-o-o-


End file.
